- 2" fork tubes...... please help.
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 368
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From: Youngsville LA
- 2" fork tubes...... please help.
Ok here's the dealy...
I had a 2" drop in kit to lower the front end of my bike. After putting the 23" on the front I decided to order some -2" down tubes in hopes of having a total of 4" drop. I put the drop in kit in the new tubes, but looking at the springs I pulled out in comparrison to my factory springs they are 2" shorter.
So what I'm wondering is..... is the old 2" drop in lowering kit even gonna have any effect with these shorter tubes? Or do I need to cut more off of the PVC to get the drop I want? I'd rather not put it all back together just to tear it all apart again. Thanks
I had a 2" drop in kit to lower the front end of my bike. After putting the 23" on the front I decided to order some -2" down tubes in hopes of having a total of 4" drop. I put the drop in kit in the new tubes, but looking at the springs I pulled out in comparrison to my factory springs they are 2" shorter.
So what I'm wondering is..... is the old 2" drop in lowering kit even gonna have any effect with these shorter tubes? Or do I need to cut more off of the PVC to get the drop I want? I'd rather not put it all back together just to tear it all apart again. Thanks
Yes, you should follow the directions for the drop in kit as to how long the spacer should protrude from the end of the fork. Most likely you'll need to cut off 2", or run no spacer at all if that is what gets ya to the right point. The spacer is only 3/4" PVC pipe, so you can pick up a piece at lowes and experiment with spacer length to fine tune the ride if you want to.
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Joined: May 2005
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From: Georgia
No you don't need to cut the springs just the spacers. I had that set up and took a full 5" off the stock height. Handled like **** after 85 so settled on 4" drop and rode it like that for close to 40k with no ill effects.This is 5 down front and on the stop with the air dumped.
Last edited by back again; Apr 30, 2012 at 07:54 PM.
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 1
From: Youngsville LA
Well I cut another 1/2 inch off the spacers leaving them at 3" and after installing them in the tubes I'm back at the original height. SUCKS. guess ill take another 1/2 inch and see where it leaves me. My trees are a little bent from an ******* in a f150 a few years back so its even more of a pain than normal.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 368
Likes: 1
From: Youngsville LA
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?