Got a burnout cycle lower kit from a member on here new and want to install in on my 2010 fatboy. It came with the instructions ( that suck) but are there any "tips/special tools" needed for this mod? I do not need to take the shocks apart but do need a lift.
As far as dropping the rear, just how far is safe? I do not want to rip the wire harness that runs inside the rear fender apart.
Has anyone used this kit and if so how do you like it?
Anyone have lowered fatboy pics?
Thanks

 

I purchased mine from J&P a year or so ago. The hardest part was my overall lack of patience. Removing the shocks is no day at the beach (particularly the rear bolt, and sliding the shocks out). But it can be done.
I did not adjust the shocks, and left the position pretty much slammed. I like the look, and I like the seating position. I do NOT like hitting large bumps, or that drop-off transition when you cross a bridge, and have learned to shift my weight to the pegs and ease my butt off the seat (like in our dirt bike days) to keep from getting "air-born".
One suggestion, make sure you have the right tools before you start, and plan on spending all day doing it. If you do it in a couple of hours, pat yourself on the back.

On edit, I never touched my wiring harness, and I peek at it now and then with a flashlight and mirror to check for rub marks. So far, no problemo. And since install, I changed the rear tire, added the Tri-bar tail light and have checked the inner fenderwell for marks. None noted. Just a stiff ride, but I wouldn't go back to the original look or ride.

 

Thanks for the update. I decided to stop in the local dealer to see what they would charge to throw them on. I left quickly as they told me it would be in the $300.00 range-LOL
I am now looking on line for a jack and calling everyone I know to see who has one.

 

coroneerpm, have you got a local indy that would install the kit? If not do
a search on this kit, there are several threads that will probably help you.

 

Need to find a local indy here in Dover DE. The stealer's are off there rockers to charge what they do. I could do it myself but no lift. Saving for a 107" kit and cams so the lift will need to wait.

 

You know the cricket gun in MIB? Tiny gun with huge power? This is similar. Tiny parts but huge effort to get them installed.

Was that Mike's that quoted you that much? I'm from Wilmington. It's probably about right when you consider they assume you are pulling all kinds of stuff off to gain access per their prescribed procedures.

Come back and post an update to confirm if and when....but I'll bet that at least one time during your install you will start to think that $300 is worth it to let someone else deal with it. Most likely it will be too late: when you are upside down on the garage floor with your arm stuck in between the scissors of the jack hoping it doesn't fail and sever your arm, trying to break the rear shock bolts loose, or trying to get them out by turning them 1mm at a time before you have to reposition your wrench again and again and again and again and again.

The install is not hard per se. It is just difficult in the sense that it is hard to get at the bolts; the rear shock bolts in particular. They are hard to break loose. Once you get them loose, there is no easy way (that I found) to back them out. You can use a socket for maybe two or three turns but then the wrench is up against the inside of the swing arm. You are left trying to use an adjustable wrench or combo wrench if you have one. I had a combo that fit but it was so long it was hitting the floor or the jack so could only turn the bolt a tiny bit before needing to reposition the wrench.

The jack itself will get in the way. You'll need it a certain place to get to the front shock bolts. Then you'll have to move it forward to get to the rear bolts. But then the bike will be a$$ heavy and want to tip off the lift or make you feel nervous about hammering at the rear bolts to break them loose.

One suggestion, when you put rear bolts back in, obviously use red locktite but also mark them with vertical lines. I used white nail polish. That way you can quickly see if they start to move or back out over time. Also put marks on the shock bodies before you take them off. This will help you ensure you adjust each one the same.

No issues with the wiring or brake lines. There is enough slack in everything so its not an issue. There is a rubber bumper in top of fender that swingarm hits when it bottoms out so no worries of lowering bike on lift. You should not need to drop the rear wheel down very far. In fact, to get the shocks out you'll actually have to push the rear wheel up into the fender.

I installed mine as mentioned above. It took time and a lot of beer and cussing but otherwise it was a snap. Later on I installed a chrome swingarm and had an ephiphany during the work. How much easier it would be to remove and install the shocks from the swingarm if it were not on the bike. Of course you are now thinking about how much work it is to drop your swingarm and you think it is a lot of parts to pull off for that little kit consisting of a couple rubber washers and a couple nuts. And I agree with you. However, its a heck of a lot easier to get at all the bolts when you drop the swingarm. In hindsight, Burnout cycle install took about the same time as the swingarm swap.

Good luck.

 

Thanks for the info. Seems like everything you work on with a Harley turns out to be more than it really is. My bars took around 4 hours, removing reflectors that should take a few minutes was around an hour . The only thing that was straight forward was the exhaust and Air cleaner set up and that was in the hour range.
I like to do most of the work myself, some type of self satifaction in doing it plus I hate to pay the hourly rates at some places.
I might try to get it done this weekend but if the weather keeps holding out then I am riding instead.