scream, I'm pretty sure with those you don't have to have the shocks pressed they simply
attach to the stock shocks. but I'm not a 100 percent sure?

 

I have two lowered Softails. The first one I lowered with a kit like Screamin00's link here. I bought it because I assumed it was cheaper than buying a press or paying someone to install the lowering bolts. Story808 is correct. You do not need to disassemble the shocks to use this kit. It has an extended threaded sleave that fits ofver the stock shock bolt. I paid about $100 a little over a year ago.

The second one I went with the bolt kit like original poster was looking at on Ebay. I ended up getting them shipped to me for under $20 total cost. I spent an additional $35 to have the bolts installed at my local dealership.

In hindsight, even with the labor expense involved, the bolts kit was less expensive. Both kits required removing the shocks entirely so removal/installation was about the same. With the kit like Screamin00's here (I have the no longer available Burnout Cycles kit), the adjuster nuts are something like 24mm or 15/16. Either way, they are somewhat difficult to get a wrench on when adjusting because of the way the shocks bolt up to the frame. Because of those big nuts, and the increased cost, I'd have to say I think the bolt kits are the most ecomnomical and easiest to install.

If you go with a kit like Screamin00's here or the Burnout Cycle kit, you are pretty much guaranteed to pay close to $100. If you go the bolt kit route, you can spend as little as $15 and as much as $150 depending on whether you want chrome, the extra bushings, or are just convinved a brand name is better quality. Seeing several of these kits in person and being able to compare them side by side, the bolts are essentially the same.

My rceommendation is to buy the bolt kit like the version shown by the thread starter, pay no more than $25 shipped, and let a dealer do the install for abour $35. That is by far the most economical way to lower your Softail.

 

thanks for the insight man, im gonna go w/ the bolt kit now very helpful

 

don't forget to get some C clips from your local hardware store for the ends of the bolts there cheap and safe in case nuts come loose. that what I did oh yah lock tight always!
Good luck.

 

I have the Ness slam kit for my rear and lowered it 2". Rides like a rigid. Almost got bucked off leaving Daytona doin' about 70 MPH. Kinda scary. Good thing I was holdin the bars.

 

yes, these are best for the money. other than that, you'll need to go with progressive shocks. that'll give you the best ride.

 

i dont have near the money for progressives right now

 

I have some like these. They were on the scoot when i bought it. I lowered the bike as far as she'd go and was having issues with the belt rubbing inside the primary on one of the bolt bosses that rides above the pulley, so I stiffened the shocks as far as they'd go and made sure the belt wasn't too loose. After that everything was good other than the fact that it rides like a rigid, but I actually kind of like it that way.

Just make damn sure that you tighten the lock nut down good. I test rode mine and found one of the adjuster nuts had come loose. Luckily I had the C-Clips on and only took it around the block.

 

I went for the burnout cycles lowering kit..easy to install, heard a lot of good comments on it. jpcycles.

[IMG]local://upfiles/37128/5FC225EE4FD34CAA931B87F3DA3C8B97.jpg[/IMG]

 

Not sure what everyone else is thinking here but to clarify my rationale, these are the most economical ways to lower the rear of your Softail (Without replacing the shocks). If money is no object, absolutely I recommend getting some Progressive lowering shocks. You get the lowered height and a better ride as compared to the stock shocks.

But, if you are on a budget, don't mind the stock shock ride, or you just aren't sure if you want to lower your bike, go with either one of the kits shown here. Having bought and installed both, I can say definitively that getting a set of lowering bolts and having them installed on the shocks by a mech is the most inexpensive route to go given these two options. I spent less than $50 for the bolts and installation of them. But my Burnout kit cost me just over $100 after shipping (someone might know where a better deal can be had).

But do not be unrealistic about the performance of these kits. You won't get a Caddie-like ride. All you've done here is lower the stock shocks. Once you did that you reduced the available travel of the swingarm before bottoming. To counter that you likely dialed up the preload in hopes of reducing bottoming. That combination makes the rear suspension stiffer. That's the trade-off on lowering, even with good aftermarket shocks. This is an absolute: To get a lower ride height you must reduce available travel which means you need to increase preload which means the rear end will ride stiffer.

One last point to consider: If you later decide you want to go back to the stock ride height, the Burnout-like kit can't go back without removing. By its design, even at its highest ride setting, it's lower than stock. However, if you installed lowering bolts, they allow you to go back to the stock height by simply turning the adjusters. Good if you decide to sell you bike later and want to take it back to stock. No one wants to pull their Softail shocks if they don't need to.