Shock Adjustment

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Apr 17, 2008 | 07:42 PM

mikef

Thread Starter

Cruiser

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 249

Likes: 0

From:

Shock Adjustment

I need a little advice guys..... Should I adjust the suspension for my fat ***?

I have a 2008 Fatboy. I am 6'2" and 325lbs. My wife is 150lbs. 90% of the time I ride with her on the back. It seems to bottom out every now and then (surprise). I was just wondering if there is any adjustments that I should do to the rear shock to compensate for the added weight. Thanks guys.

Apr 17, 2008 | 07:53 PM

BlueSoftail

Intermediate

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 30

Likes: 0

From: West Michigan

RE: Shock Adjustment

This link was very helpful when I adjusted shocks on my softail. See preload shocks.

http://fatbillscustoms.com/

Apr 17, 2008 | 09:05 PM

mikef

Thread Starter

Cruiser

Joined: Mar 2008

Posts: 249

Likes: 0

From:

RE: Shock Adjustment

Wow..... After reading that website it looks as if I need to stiffen up the preload....

If I stiffen it up will the ride be rough on the little bumps?

Apr 17, 2008 | 09:17 PM

tmitchellof PG

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 3,718

Likes: 11

From: Punta Gorda,FL

RE: Shock Adjustment

It is not that big a difference in ride from all the way soft, to all the way firm. I have switched my shocks both ways twice and could hardly tell the difference. It will just keep the rear from bottoming when you have a passenger. I always set my shocks on my other bikes (not Harleys) to the firmest settings for better handling.
Tom

Mar 14, 2011 | 05:45 AM

john seabrook

Stage I

Joined: Mar 2011

Posts: 1

Likes: 0

I'm trying to find out how to adjust the suspension on my 2008 fatboy. I have bought the C spanner (harley) just need to know the process. Don't want to buy a workshop manuel just yet on the other hand if anyone had one and wants to sell it to me ha ha.

Mar 14, 2011 | 06:03 AM

PFWiz

Stellar HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 3,423

Likes: 421

From: Northern, Ohio (Yuck!)

Read (on this site) that my old '09 Heritage came from the MoCo with preload set to soft. Often bottomed out with me and Momma on board. After I adjusted the shocks the ride was noticeably better with no more bottoming out. Go for it, you won't be disappointed!

Mar 14, 2011 | 06:04 AM

FatBoyVeteran

Road Captain

Joined: Oct 2010

Posts: 563

Likes: 2

From: Mocksville, NC

Nothing like a 3 year old thread to start off Monday Morning.

I would get the manual. They run like $50 off ebay and you can get em pretty quick. Its the best money you can spend, hands down.

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Mar 14, 2011 | 08:43 AM

tmitchellof PG

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2006

Posts: 3,718

Likes: 11

From: Punta Gorda,FL

Quote:

Originally Posted by john seabrook

The hardest part is breaking the retention nuts loose the first time.
You may have to use a heat gun to loosen the loctite.
Harley ships their Softails with the shocks set at the softest setting.
1) paint a small fwd/aft white stripe on the bottom of each shock. This will let you count how many turns you do to the shocks and better allow you to keep both shocks adjusted the same.
2) brake the retention nuts loose and back them off
3) turn each shock body with the spanner wrench all the way to the firmest setting, this will be a little more then 3 full turns, then back them off just a bit so they wont be jammed in place.
4) tighten the retention nuts just a bit past snug. Don't put any loctite on them.

This will give you a comparison between the full soft and full firm settings. If this seems too firm then adjust the shocks back until you like the setting.

I adjust mine while the bike is on the jiffy stand using a spanner and an open end wrench, that I cut down to about 5" long.
Tom