NEED ADVICE...shock adjustments..updated
RE: progressive shocks
I KNOW IM GONNA SOUND REALLY STUPID, but seriously, where are the shocks on my bike and how would i get to them. also where would these things go and has anyone used them. pros/cons?
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From:
RE: progressive shocks
I am a newbie too.... That is a good question. I want to stiffen up the ride on my Fatboy. With my fat *** on it and then my wife hops on the back(she is not a fatass) we bottom out on some bumps.....
But I couldnt figure out how to get to or find the rear shocks either.
But I couldnt figure out how to get to or find the rear shocks either.
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 27
Likes: 0
From: New York
RE: progressive shocks
I just adjusted my stock shocks. As low and stiff as possible. A little rough but bearable.
If your not familiar with wrenching your own bike, I would suggest you have it done. You don't want to find out you screwed something up on your suspension at 65mph...
If your not familiar with wrenching your own bike, I would suggest you have it done. You don't want to find out you screwed something up on your suspension at 65mph...
RE: progressive shocks
ORIGINAL: Billman
I just adjusted my stock shocks. As low and stiff as possible. A little rough but bearable.
If your not familiar with wrenching your own bike, I would suggest you have it done. You don't want to find out you screwed something up on your suspension at 65mph...
I just adjusted my stock shocks. As low and stiff as possible. A little rough but bearable.
If your not familiar with wrenching your own bike, I would suggest you have it done. You don't want to find out you screwed something up on your suspension at 65mph...
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
RE: progressive shocks
I have adjusted my shocks from soft to firm and couldn't tell that much of a difference. The hardest part was the first time breaking the retainer nuts loose on the shocks. HD must have used the red loctite on them, which doesn't make much sense because they are suppose to be adjustable. You will have to buy a spanner wrench from the dealer for about $4 tohold the shock body in place while you are breaking loose the retainer nut. Then you use the spanner to turn the body of the shock.
I attached a link that explains it. Select pre-load shocks on the right index.
http://fatbillscustoms.com/
Tom
I attached a link that explains it. Select pre-load shocks on the right index.
http://fatbillscustoms.com/
Tom
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,727
Likes: 2
From: North Carolina
RE: progressive shocks
I'm using the progressive 422's. I chose them to have the adjustabality of ride height while keeping some semblance of ride quality. The price I paid was $386 (free shipping)from Phat performance parts. American Classic on Ebay had them for $349 + shippingbut I had a problem with very slow shipping from them so for a few bucks more I went with Phat.
Install was easy......the bolts that hold the rear of the stock shocks is a tough one......I used my foot on a wrench to break them loose, and even then the first 4 or 5 turns takes 2 hands. The front nuts were easy. I useda lift to take the pressure off the rear wheel and shocks and replaced them one at a time. I lowered mine almost the full 2 inches and added about 4 turns of preload.Leftat regular ride height, I would say the Progressivesare a monumental difference in ride quality........lowered? Well, the Progressives keep it fairly comfortable, but harder on the back naturally. Big dips in the road and any other hard hits you feel pretty hard, especially in your lower back. I'm more used to it now, and another turn or two of preload may help even more, but that's thetrade off for lowering. I will say the Progressives seem more stable andbatter damped; the rear seems more sure of itself with no bounciness. I've heard people say the stock shocks lowered with boltsride great, but that's tough for me to believe with the difference between the the stock shocks and the Progressives at stock ride height.
Install was easy......the bolts that hold the rear of the stock shocks is a tough one......I used my foot on a wrench to break them loose, and even then the first 4 or 5 turns takes 2 hands. The front nuts were easy. I useda lift to take the pressure off the rear wheel and shocks and replaced them one at a time. I lowered mine almost the full 2 inches and added about 4 turns of preload.Leftat regular ride height, I would say the Progressivesare a monumental difference in ride quality........lowered? Well, the Progressives keep it fairly comfortable, but harder on the back naturally. Big dips in the road and any other hard hits you feel pretty hard, especially in your lower back. I'm more used to it now, and another turn or two of preload may help even more, but that's thetrade off for lowering. I will say the Progressives seem more stable andbatter damped; the rear seems more sure of itself with no bounciness. I've heard people say the stock shocks lowered with boltsride great, but that's tough for me to believe with the difference between the the stock shocks and the Progressives at stock ride height.
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Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 249
Likes: 0
From:
RE: progressive shocks
I just want to better my ride.... I am 6" 2" and 325lbs. My wife is about 150lbs. Most of the time she rides on the back. It bottoms out on the dips. I dont want to lower it I just want a better ride and to stop the bottoming out. Can this be acomplished by tightening up the stock shocks or would I be better off buying the Progressive Shocks?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
RE: progressive shocks
ORIGINAL: mikef
I just want to better my ride.... I am 6" 2" and 325lbs. My wife is about 150lbs. Most of the time she rides on the back. It bottoms out on the dips. I dont want to lower it I just want a better ride and to stop the bottoming out. Can this be acomplished by tightening up the stock shocks or would I be better off buying the Progressive Shocks?
I just want to better my ride.... I am 6" 2" and 325lbs. My wife is about 150lbs. Most of the time she rides on the back. It bottoms out on the dips. I dont want to lower it I just want a better ride and to stop the bottoming out. Can this be acomplished by tightening up the stock shocks or would I be better off buying the Progressive Shocks?
Why don't you take the wife on a ride where you bottom out on some dips. Go home adjust the shocks to the firmest setting, per the instructions in the link, I attached in a previous answer andlet us know what you think. If it is a hassle just let the dealer set the shocksfor you.
I went to my local dealer and asked them if they could break the retention nuts loose for me, since I tried my best and couldn't budge them. They spent 1/2 hour using heat to loosen the retention nuts and reset the shocks to the firmest setting. This was done at Port Charlotte, FL. When they were done they said no charge and I didn't even buy the bike there.
My Fat Boy is an SE model, which comes lowered in the rear and I still manage to adjust the shocks while the bike is on the jiffy stand, now that there is no longer any loctite ,on the retention nuts. I had to cut an open end wrench down so it was short enough to use in the limited room between the shock and the floor.
I would think with your weight you should set the shocks to the firmest setting and leave them that way whether you ride solo or not.
Good luck,
Tom