Front end lowering advice
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 283
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From: Delaware
Front end lowering advice
I have searched and done some reading on here and it seems that the progressive drop in kit is really not a drop in kit on softials. So my question is what lowering kit to get since it sounds like you have to disassemble the front end anyway? I thought that I read somewhere that the original kit is actually a better way to lower the bike. Thanks for the input.
R.I.P. BROTHER
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 6
From: Colorado Springs
I have the not so drop in version....
I wish I knew the difference. I do think the drop in version can be dropped in after dropping the forks down in tree's a bit if that helps?
I dunno which provides better actual suspending action though.
I will openly and categorically state that my 2" progressive drop combined with -2 under fork tubes and 20WT fork oil is way much better at everything than the stock setup.
Mine dosent dive as bad and holds the road better. It actually absorbs potholes better and the entire bike turns and handles night and day better.
A properly setup shorty front end on a Softail FXST series bike turns lazy sloppy cruiser front end into slice and dice ginsu sportbike feel......Well thats a bit much but its gosh derned close!!!
My cornering speeds are so much higher with the shorter front end its not even comparable...Plus it just plain feels better. I can out turn my buddy on his Kawasaki mean streak and another riding buddy on a Suzuki M109 dosent even try to keep pace in the twisties...240 rear tires and corners on lowered Jap Uber cruiser must not get along very well?
I wish I knew the difference. I do think the drop in version can be dropped in after dropping the forks down in tree's a bit if that helps?
I dunno which provides better actual suspending action though.
I will openly and categorically state that my 2" progressive drop combined with -2 under fork tubes and 20WT fork oil is way much better at everything than the stock setup.
Mine dosent dive as bad and holds the road better. It actually absorbs potholes better and the entire bike turns and handles night and day better.
A properly setup shorty front end on a Softail FXST series bike turns lazy sloppy cruiser front end into slice and dice ginsu sportbike feel......Well thats a bit much but its gosh derned close!!!
My cornering speeds are so much higher with the shorter front end its not even comparable...Plus it just plain feels better. I can out turn my buddy on his Kawasaki mean streak and another riding buddy on a Suzuki M109 dosent even try to keep pace in the twisties...240 rear tires and corners on lowered Jap Uber cruiser must not get along very well?
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 953
Likes: 0
From: SOUTH-ALABAMA
I watched a video from progressive, they showed it being done on a street bob. He jacked the bike to get the weight off the tire, loosened the bolt on the side of the forks, popped the cap off, took old chit out, slid new chit in, tightened everything back up, and put the bike back on the ground. It looked like a really painless process.
R.I.P. BROTHER
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 6
From: Colorado Springs
Our wide glide forks are different from the street bob....
Ours will need to be slid down in tree's to access the guts.
Personally I would pull the caliper and wheel off the bike prior to doing the big slide....
Twisted will hang his bike from the air in some crazy position with a forklift and make it easier than ever!!! LOL!
Ours will need to be slid down in tree's to access the guts.
Personally I would pull the caliper and wheel off the bike prior to doing the big slide....
Twisted will hang his bike from the air in some crazy position with a forklift and make it easier than ever!!! LOL!
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 953
Likes: 0
From: SOUTH-ALABAMA
^ ya damn right! haha, ive got two 40 ton bridge cranes, maybe Ill make her do a back flip and do the swap while shes upside down! Chaz, man, if your ever around south Bama, you gotta lemmy know, Ill hook your train up with some high flyin trapeze action.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 283
Likes: 0
From: Delaware
I am at work right now so I dont have my manual to look at but the softail forks have a bolt in the top that runs into the side rather than a pinch bolt like the dyna they show on the video. I looked directions on progressive's web site and they tell you to do it like shown in the video but that is not accurate for a softail.
Does the bolt on the top of the forks actually run into a hole in the forks or does it just go against it? I took the forks apart to paint my sliders but I left them in the bike so I never messed with removing the tubes. But I know one thing there was no spring tension on the for caps on mine when I removed to put the oil in.
Does the bolt on the top of the forks actually run into a hole in the forks or does it just go against it? I took the forks apart to paint my sliders but I left them in the bike so I never messed with removing the tubes. But I know one thing there was no spring tension on the for caps on mine when I removed to put the oil in.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 953
Likes: 0
From: SOUTH-ALABAMA
hmmm. I wonder also, if the fork design changed around the time they went EFI. Ive got a service manual on my laptop at home, I'll check it out at lunch boost, train and standards will be the same.
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R.I.P. BROTHER
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From: Colorado Springs
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R.I.P. BROTHER
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 6
From: Colorado Springs
Its like you look at your Train and say "I'm about to get medieval on your ***"!!!