You've forgotten more about suspensions than I'll ever know.

Howard's company is the only one I know that knows anything about applying performance suspension to Harleys.

And Amy's fork rebuilding video rocks ...

 

Thanks again for all the good info fellas.

 

On my 2004 FLSTCI I used the shortest tubes (20 1/4'') and 12 oz. of 30wt
fork oil. Rides like a dream.

 

I got them installed, they seem to have dropped it more than 2 inches. I measured the old and new tubes, and they are 2" shorter. However, it seems it dropped about 4" in the front.

Note to anyone that buys these, they come with everything, including new lower screws/washers.




However, I could not use those since the allen head is thicker on them and they would'nt be recessed like they should be




Too bad since they came with these fancy o-ring. Luckily I had a new stock set, so I just used those, no leaks.

The springs that come in the tubes are definitely soft. I only went with 10w oil this time around, so I'll swap that out first to 15w and see if that helps. Otherwise it will be time for some stiffer springs.



Before:


After:


You can see the difference at the cowbell.

Quality of the DBI tubes is good, just sucks the springs are a bit soft.

 

I have the same tubes as you and I like the softer springs as they work good on the roads around here the stiffer springs in the old tubes the ft tire skiped over the crowns of the bumps where the softer ones allow the wheel to follow them. I added about 10mm more oil and makes a big change to it. I used the heavier SE oil in them

 

It looks like you have no preload on your springs and probably only an inch of suspension travel.

A standard length spring from Progressive with a shortened (by 2 inches) pre-load spacer will bring back your wheel travel and you bike will ride great.

If the dampeners are similar to stock I would vote for the SE Heavy (not Extra Heavy).

The volume of oil does not change but if you use the height from the top of the compressed tube method then you would simply subtract two inches from the suggested factory number.

 

Could I swap out all the internals from my stock tubes to these shorter tubes? Is there a stock spacer in the stock setup that I'd have to cut?

 

I am not sure about your stock springs, they may be to long. My stock springs had no spacers if yours are the same and you use them in the shorter tubes you would end up with way to much pre-load (2 inches more that stock).

That's why I recommended the Progressive springs, they needed a 3+ inch preload spacer in my stock tubes, so a 1 inch spacer would be perfect in the -2 tubes.

 

OP, are you using the same damper's? If you are than remove the springs prior to putting in the oil than observe what happens between the fender and bottom of the triple tree. Run your full stroke by lowering the floor jack. I always dry assemble first.

 

The DBI units come complete assembled, so I just swapped them across. I think the problem might be the dampers in the DBI unit are FXST. There are more holes in the FXST damper than my stock dampers. I was just thinking I'd try swapping just the dampers and see if that makes a difference. Thoughts?