Softail lowering advice
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 253
Likes: 3
Well, I did the job this morning and it was a medium pain in the ***. Getting the jack up under it in a position to let me wrench on the shocks took a few tries, and I ended up putting the front of the bike on a ramp to be able to hang the new shocks. The bike shops must have a different set up than the Craftsman jack I use. The hardest part was tightening the rear bolts. I used a car jack to raise the swingarm into just the right spot to start threading them, but by extending the shock it pushed the bolt so far back that I had almost no room at all to fit a wrench in because of a cross-member on the frame. On one side I could use a socket with a u-joint adapter, but the other side... Let's just say the neighbors may have learned a few new words.
The finished product? I LOVE the way it looks. The pics don't even really show just how much lower the rear is. My estimate is 2.5 or maybe 3 inches, at least. The problem is that I'm constantly scraping the floorboard on one side and I'm actually scraping the very back of the frame on the left side. The ride is too harsh right now, so I may try to raise it about half an inch and also go a little softer on the spring adjustment. After 60 miles this afternoon and one hell of a headache i'm wonder how some of you guys can ride a hardtail for any length of time.
The finished product? I LOVE the way it looks. The pics don't even really show just how much lower the rear is. My estimate is 2.5 or maybe 3 inches, at least. The problem is that I'm constantly scraping the floorboard on one side and I'm actually scraping the very back of the frame on the left side. The ride is too harsh right now, so I may try to raise it about half an inch and also go a little softer on the spring adjustment. After 60 miles this afternoon and one hell of a headache i'm wonder how some of you guys can ride a hardtail for any length of time.
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 253
Likes: 3
The bars are Street Slammers from Harley. I couldn't say exactly what the rise/pullback is other than "not very much." They barely clear the tank and console. Maybe a three inch rise with another inch or two pull back?
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 448
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
Thanks for the feedback everybody. Like I said, the ride is a little too hars (I don't want my young niece's getting bounced off) so I'll be making some adjustments.
The bars are Street Slammers from Harley. I couldn't say exactly what the rise/pullback is other than "not very much." They barely clear the tank and console. Maybe a three inch rise with another inch or two pull back?
The bars are Street Slammers from Harley. I couldn't say exactly what the rise/pullback is other than "not very much." They barely clear the tank and console. Maybe a three inch rise with another inch or two pull back?
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,109
Likes: 9
From: Connecticut
It does look good, sounds like you need to raise it just a little, scraping a lot is not good. Sweet ride you got there
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Road Warrior
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,489
Likes: 19
From: MD
I have an air ride and mine does not rub when I am all the way down. I have ridden it with no air in it around town. I have checked and checked just to see if there is rubbing. Nothing so far. I know alot of people ride slammed with there kits and no problems. 3" is crazy but if it works then do it.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 319
Likes: 0
From: Virginia & it's starting to suck
AT'S RIGHT! Longer is lower on these Soft Tails