lowering shocks vs lowering hardware?
6th Gear
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
RE: lowering shocks vs lowering hardware?
Bob; We do not make anything for the pre 2000-different mounting.
Pro1955-anytime you lower the bike it will bottom easy and harsh-regardless of who's kit you use. The best thing you can do is try turning the preload up, all the way, try that it may help a bit.
Pro1955-anytime you lower the bike it will bottom easy and harsh-regardless of who's kit you use. The best thing you can do is try turning the preload up, all the way, try that it may help a bit.
6th Gear
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
RE: lowering shocks vs lowering hardware?
Springer, Lowering kits for the softail do nothing to the spring preload, not our kit nor any others on the market.
The softail shocks work backwards from 'normal' shocks, in that they extend under a compression bump and compress during the rebound stroke.
The only thing effected with a softail lowering kit is the 'starting' point of where the shock stroke starts at.
The softail uses the frame/swingarm contact to control bottoming just like a car does. Typically we recommend increasing the spring preload when lowering a softail.
The softail shocks work backwards from 'normal' shocks, in that they extend under a compression bump and compress during the rebound stroke.
The only thing effected with a softail lowering kit is the 'starting' point of where the shock stroke starts at.
The softail uses the frame/swingarm contact to control bottoming just like a car does. Typically we recommend increasing the spring preload when lowering a softail.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 97
Likes: 2
From:
RE: lowering shocks vs lowering hardware?
I used the lowering extended bolts to do the rear of my Deuce. The extenders cost me $20 on E-Bay. Quality is not an issue with these things; they are probably on the order of 1,000 times as strong as they need to be, if not more. Instillation takes about an hour and a half if you've never done it before and have to make the "special tools" required to complete the job. By 'special tools' I mean whatever contraption you come up with to compress the shock to quickly disassemble and reassembleit. If you don't want to make one I think you'll find that the closest machine shop to your home will charge you $20 or lessto do it for you, if they charge you anything at all. You'd be simply amazed at how many guys working in, or sometimes owning, machine shops will cut a fellow Harley ower a break.
Removing and installing the shocks is easily accomplished without any special tools at all, despite what the Service Manual says about the rear bolt requiring some odd wrench. It doesn't, a plain old standard 3/4" box wrench works just fine.
With the extenders installed your stock shocks continue to give their stock ride, just a bit lower (or higher if you want). Ride height can thereafter be adjusted in about 5 minutes within a range of about +0.5 to -2.25. Its just a matter of jacking it up, loosening the lock nut, spinning the adjuster nut to wherever you want it, then retightening the lock nut and letting the bike down.
I had planned to go ahead and lower my front after doing the rear but to tell the truth there's no real reason to. I'mnot very tall (5' 8")so the lowering I did wasn't for looks, it was for comfort and control of the bike when at a rest. For me, a person who was reasonablysatisfied with the stock handling) the $20 extenders and the hour and a half it took to put them in was a lot smarter thing to go with than $700 shocks. The bike still rides just fine 2-up without bottoming out.
Removing and installing the shocks is easily accomplished without any special tools at all, despite what the Service Manual says about the rear bolt requiring some odd wrench. It doesn't, a plain old standard 3/4" box wrench works just fine.
With the extenders installed your stock shocks continue to give their stock ride, just a bit lower (or higher if you want). Ride height can thereafter be adjusted in about 5 minutes within a range of about +0.5 to -2.25. Its just a matter of jacking it up, loosening the lock nut, spinning the adjuster nut to wherever you want it, then retightening the lock nut and letting the bike down.
I had planned to go ahead and lower my front after doing the rear but to tell the truth there's no real reason to. I'mnot very tall (5' 8")so the lowering I did wasn't for looks, it was for comfort and control of the bike when at a rest. For me, a person who was reasonablysatisfied with the stock handling) the $20 extenders and the hour and a half it took to put them in was a lot smarter thing to go with than $700 shocks. The bike still rides just fine 2-up without bottoming out.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
franki_22ca
Softail Models
10
Aug 29, 2008 11:46 AM
