Installing rear shocks
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Stage II
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
Installing rear shocks
Just bought a Heritage softail and it has a lowering kit. I want to put standard shocks on it and have them to do so. Don't have a shop manual. Will this be difficult AND any idea where to go to get info on how to do it?
Cruiser
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 200
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From: FW Texas
100 % agree get a service manual. Will pay for itself with one hour of labor.
You have a "lowering kit" or "lowering shocks"?
We recently bought a 2001 Heritage for the wife. It too has a "lowering kit" on the rear and has had the front shock kit installed also. From my understanding you remove the rear "lowering kit", and reattach the shocks to the mounts and it returns it to stock height. Lowering shocks would have to be replaced with different shocks.
If I am not correct someone with more knowledge on this please correct me. From the looks of the parts on the harley website and underneath of her bike it seemed pretty straight forward.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
You have a "lowering kit" or "lowering shocks"?
We recently bought a 2001 Heritage for the wife. It too has a "lowering kit" on the rear and has had the front shock kit installed also. From my understanding you remove the rear "lowering kit", and reattach the shocks to the mounts and it returns it to stock height. Lowering shocks would have to be replaced with different shocks.
If I am not correct someone with more knowledge on this please correct me. From the looks of the parts on the harley website and underneath of her bike it seemed pretty straight forward.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
Last edited by C Clamp; Nov 19, 2008 at 08:48 PM.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
What year bike do you have? Can you take a picture of the forward end of the shocks and where they attach? That way we will be able to tell you what the previous owner did to lower the rear.
It is not that hard to replace them. The hardest part is breaking the nuts loose. Harley uses loctite, so you will probably have to warm the nuts up enough so the loctite loses it's grip, in order to remove the nuts. Remove and replace one shock at a time.
Tom
It is not that hard to replace them. The hardest part is breaking the nuts loose. Harley uses loctite, so you will probably have to warm the nuts up enough so the loctite loses it's grip, in order to remove the nuts. Remove and replace one shock at a time.
Tom
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: Tennessee
Installing Rear Shocks
Thanks for all the input on this task. All makes sense. My bike is a 2004. I have ATTACHED a photo of the shocks. Funny thing, these shocks are Showa shocks with NO part number on them anywhere. The ones I bought off ebay are Showas with part number 54508-00A. Don't understand the one's on it not having a part number.
Thanks all. Your a big help.
Randall
Thanks all. Your a big help.
Randall
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,624
Likes: 189
From: Newcastle, Ca.
Too bad, I just bought a used pair of lowering shocks off eBay two days ago. We could have traded shocks...
No HD logo or part number? Maybe they are not HD shocks? Their are other brands out there. Some really nice, like Progressive, others not as good as HD lowering shocks.
No HD logo or part number? Maybe they are not HD shocks? Their are other brands out there. Some really nice, like Progressive, others not as good as HD lowering shocks.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 816
Likes: 10
From: Southern, MD
loctite makes a can of freeze, it breaks the loctite loose so it comes off easier. It works to and it makes it alittle less of a pain in the ***.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,718
Likes: 11
From: Punta Gorda,FL
I would guess that those are aftermarket shocks for lowering your softail. My 2005 SE Fat Boy comes with the HD shocks that lower the rear about an inch. Mine are not fully chromed and the body is different. Yours are set to the softest setting, because you can see 4 threads at the forward end, just forward of the retention nut.
Tom
Tom
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