- 2" fork tubes...... please help.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 1
From: Youngsville LA
yeah there's a lot of people running lowered front ends, hoping to get some of the fx guys or someone that has done what im trying to do to chime in on how much they had to cut that spacer to slam this puppy!!! Ive cut the spacer down to 3" instead of 3.5" and only got another half inch lower after the new tubes.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,232
Likes: 9,282
From: Georgia
I contacted progressive and im really not impressed with frank over there, i hate to smash him on here but I asked him for some input on my problem.
I dont understand how I have 22 1/4 tubes (2under)
then put the 2" drop with the spacer cut at 3" to get a 4" drop
He said they dont ever do that, they dont put 2" drop kits and 2 under downtubes in softails, he said I only have 3.5 inches of travel and wouldnt be able to drop it 4 inches? Told me he wouldnt give me any suggestions when i told him i was gonna cut it down to 2 or 2.5 inches. From what I understand the FL has the same tubes i got 22 1/4", 2" under the FX front end (24 1/4") The part numbers for the FX and FL are the same for the drop kit, Just cant understand what I am doing wrong. Im at work now, when i get home ill just go cut another .5 or maybe 1" off and see if that drops it, ive looked at a few threads on here saying they had their spacer at 3" and got 2" of drop out of those same tubes 22 1/4".
@back again, what size tubes and what size did you cut your spacers to get that 4 inch drop?
I dont understand how I have 22 1/4 tubes (2under)
then put the 2" drop with the spacer cut at 3" to get a 4" drop
He said they dont ever do that, they dont put 2" drop kits and 2 under downtubes in softails, he said I only have 3.5 inches of travel and wouldnt be able to drop it 4 inches? Told me he wouldnt give me any suggestions when i told him i was gonna cut it down to 2 or 2.5 inches. From what I understand the FL has the same tubes i got 22 1/4", 2" under the FX front end (24 1/4") The part numbers for the FX and FL are the same for the drop kit, Just cant understand what I am doing wrong. Im at work now, when i get home ill just go cut another .5 or maybe 1" off and see if that drops it, ive looked at a few threads on here saying they had their spacer at 3" and got 2" of drop out of those same tubes 22 1/4".
@back again, what size tubes and what size did you cut your spacers to get that 4 inch drop?
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 1
From: Youngsville LA
damn guess ive got something wrong, like i said my spacers are at 3" and still have 6" of downtube between my lower tree and dust cover on the lower legs. rides great though, just hate how high it is.
Just a thought, you might need the non drop in kit. I used it on mine, and it accomplishes the drop by adding damper springs which pull the tubes deeper into the lowers. Not sure if that would solve it, but figured I'd throw that out there.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 4,109
Likes: 9
From: Connecticut
If change the damper tubes to shorter one you will lower it. The old school way or cheap way was to cut them down or install shorter ones. Looking in the instructions for the drop in kit the earlier bikes use no spacers. It's only pvc pipe so make a set at 1" and see if that works. I was thinking of 20" tubes in mine. I'm putting together a new fork assy this year and will swap it out at the end of the year
Last edited by Blk and Chrome; May 4, 2012 at 07:37 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 10,232
Likes: 9,282
From: Georgia
Shorter damper tubes like the Ness and cut down stock tubes suck.Put 3 sets in for people and they all took them out.I'm sure the length has a lot to do with the amount of damping.All the bikes rode hard and would pogo running over lane reflectors and other small bumps at 45 or so. Not a good feeling. at all. I've never tried the drop ins with short tubes always use the original ones. I like to look at the bushings and change the tube seals.It only take 30 mins or so to take down both tubes and check things.
How much oil did you put back in Dirty?
How much oil did you put back in Dirty?
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 1
From: Youngsville LA
I'm running the progressive drop for an 02 fx (and a bunch of other models) 2" shorter tubes which I compared to stock and that's all I could see different (2"shorter tubes and springs) with 9 oz of mixture half 15 half 30 weight. The ride is great. Just didn't lower it enough. Story is running 2 under tubes, w the spacer cut at 3", he has raked trees but if you look at his (and 2dakerb's) they only have maybe 3" between dust covers.
