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I thought I had a pretty good set of tools but didn't have a socket big enough for the two bolts that hold each shock in. The nuts closer to the front of the bike is 11/16. Guessing the bolts are 13/16? I need to buy a mechanics set of tools at some point.
So far my mods are going pretty good. Bike is really easy to work on so far.
Mine are closer to 17mm for the front and 19mm for the rear. Don't recall exactly what I used when I pulled mine but I do recall needing a breaker bar to break the rear bolts.
There's alot more to the process than at first appears. I did a search and found various posts and recommendations on it. Plus I have the service manual.
Sorry I don't recall exactly what steps I had to do. But I will say it involved both jacking the bike up and putting it on a stand. Concrete block on the front frame and a car jack stand at the swingarm pivot area on the rear. There was also a point where I had to put a jack under the rear wheel to lift up the wheel a tad to get the shocks in. In my case I was putting Deluxe shocks on my Heritage to drop it an inch.
Try a search and you may get more detailed info. I think I got my best hits under "lowering a softail".
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.