No shock removal lowering kit woes!
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Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 29
Likes: 16
From: Columbia SC
No shock removal lowering kit woes!
My step father just bought an 05 Night Train and he got a lowering kit similar to this one: https://www.legendarycycles.com/prod...2-complete-kit
The left side went on no issues, but when tightening the the last bolt and grommet on the right side, instead of pulling the shock through the frame it pulls the grommet into the frame as if the shock is locked in a compressed state. I have never seen a shock lock up in the compressed position. I did remove the grommet and place a steel washer there to extend the shock and then try again but it compressed the grommet into the frame again.
So my question is there something we did accidently to make it super hard to extend the shock or has it malfunctioned?
The left side went on no issues, but when tightening the the last bolt and grommet on the right side, instead of pulling the shock through the frame it pulls the grommet into the frame as if the shock is locked in a compressed state. I have never seen a shock lock up in the compressed position. I did remove the grommet and place a steel washer there to extend the shock and then try again but it compressed the grommet into the frame again.
So my question is there something we did accidently to make it super hard to extend the shock or has it malfunctioned?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,140
Likes: 11,207
From: San Diego, CA
My step father just bought an 05 Night Train and he got a lowering kit similar to this one: https://www.legendarycycles.com/prod...2-complete-kit
The left side went on no issues, but when tightening the the last bolt and grommet on the right side, instead of pulling the shock through the frame it pulls the grommet into the frame as if the shock is locked in a compressed state. I have never seen a shock lock up in the compressed position. I did remove the grommet and place a steel washer there to extend the shock and then try again but it compressed the grommet into the frame again.
So my question is there something we did accidently to make it super hard to extend the shock or has it malfunctioned?
The left side went on no issues, but when tightening the the last bolt and grommet on the right side, instead of pulling the shock through the frame it pulls the grommet into the frame as if the shock is locked in a compressed state. I have never seen a shock lock up in the compressed position. I did remove the grommet and place a steel washer there to extend the shock and then try again but it compressed the grommet into the frame again.
So my question is there something we did accidently to make it super hard to extend the shock or has it malfunctioned?
You just bought the bike... So two things spring to mind. The second one is more likely, I believe, than the first one... but....
Since the softail shocks rest in a compressed position and work in extension... I guess it's possible that if the bike was sitting for a prolonged length of time, something in the shock could have frozen up..???
It is also possible that bike was jacked up and the jack pushed on the shock body and bent it....??? So inspect the shock closely to see if it has been tweaked. They sell rubber bumpers for the bottom frame rails, to use when you jack up the bike. The rear runner of a floor jack will push on the body of the shock, which protrudes a little below the frame rails, when the bike is raised on the jack.
FWIW... I have used a J&S jack on my 2003 softail a few times without using the bumpers, with no issues. Once, I actually saw the "flex" of the jack body while raising it on a floor jack, so I bought the bumpers. I have been using them when jacking my softails for many years now..
Here's a pic of the rear pair of rubber bumper protecting my softail shocks, while I was using a scissor jack on my lift table.
Here's a pic of my Heritage on my J&S floor jack. If you look closely, you can see the orange pads on the frame rails, front & rear. They keep the bike raised about an inch on the runners of the jack, to protect the shocks from the rear runner. You use them front & back, when using a floor jack, to keep the bike level..
At this point, I would probably pull the shock, or leave it in place and pull the other shock, to see if I could "work" the shock. Just to see if it will go into extension, and the amount of effort that takes. If it feels real stiff, or hard to move, I would then test the other shock for a comparison.
Good luck, let us know what you find..
Last edited by hattitude; Oct 27, 2021 at 09:06 AM.
Possibly the shock compressed and the end piece (thats usually held in with a retaining clip) wedged further along.
If something is “Cheap and easy” one of the 2 is usually a lie.
If something is “Cheap and easy” one of the 2 is usually a lie.
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2020
Posts: 29
Likes: 16
From: Columbia SC
That is a strange issue. Like you, it's one I've never heard of before...
You just bought the bike... So two things spring to mind. The second one is more likely, I believe, than the first one... but....
Since the softail shocks rest in a compressed position and work in extension... I guess it's possible that if the bike was sitting for a prolonged length of time, something in the shock could have frozen up..???
It is also possible that bike was jacked up and the jack pushed on the shock body and bent it....??? So inspect the shock closely to see if it has been tweaked. They sell rubber bumpers for the bottom frame rails, to use when you jack up the bike. The rear runner of a floor jack will push on the body of the shock, which protrudes a little below the frame rails, when the bike is raised on the jack.
FWIW... I have used a J&S jack on my 2003 softail a few times without using the bumpers, with no issues. Once, I actually saw the "flex" of the jack body while raising it on a floor jack, so I bought the bumpers. I have been using them when jacking my softails for many years now..
Here's a pic of the rear pair of rubber bumper protecting my softail shocks, while I was using a scissor jack on my lift table.
Here's a pic of my Heritage on my J&S floor jack. If you look closely, you can see the orange pads on the frame rails, front & rear. They keep the bike raised about an inch on the runners of the jack, to protect the shocks from the rear runner. You use them front & back, when using a floor jack, to keep the bike level..
At this point, I would probably pull the shock, or leave it in place and pull the other shock, to see if I could "work" the shock. Just to see if it will go into extension, and the amount of effort that takes. If it feels real stiff, or hard to move, I would then test the other shock for a comparison.
Good luck, let us know what you find..
You just bought the bike... So two things spring to mind. The second one is more likely, I believe, than the first one... but....
Since the softail shocks rest in a compressed position and work in extension... I guess it's possible that if the bike was sitting for a prolonged length of time, something in the shock could have frozen up..???
It is also possible that bike was jacked up and the jack pushed on the shock body and bent it....??? So inspect the shock closely to see if it has been tweaked. They sell rubber bumpers for the bottom frame rails, to use when you jack up the bike. The rear runner of a floor jack will push on the body of the shock, which protrudes a little below the frame rails, when the bike is raised on the jack.
FWIW... I have used a J&S jack on my 2003 softail a few times without using the bumpers, with no issues. Once, I actually saw the "flex" of the jack body while raising it on a floor jack, so I bought the bumpers. I have been using them when jacking my softails for many years now..
Here's a pic of the rear pair of rubber bumper protecting my softail shocks, while I was using a scissor jack on my lift table.
Here's a pic of my Heritage on my J&S floor jack. If you look closely, you can see the orange pads on the frame rails, front & rear. They keep the bike raised about an inch on the runners of the jack, to protect the shocks from the rear runner. You use them front & back, when using a floor jack, to keep the bike level..
At this point, I would probably pull the shock, or leave it in place and pull the other shock, to see if I could "work" the shock. Just to see if it will go into extension, and the amount of effort that takes. If it feels real stiff, or hard to move, I would then test the other shock for a comparison.
Good luck, let us know what you find..
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,140
Likes: 11,207
From: San Diego, CA
They are a Harley part #94675-99
https://www.surdyke.com/PartsMain.as...aning%20Stands
It's been awhile, but I always thought there were 4 of them. Looking at the part number on Surdke.com, apparently there were only two and I cut them in half so each side would fit the width of my J&S jack. I know I trimmed a notch in the rear ones, so they would fit back farther on the frame rails to keep the bike centered/balanced...
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