snow here in Finland took my bike (1996 FLSTF) in for the season and am thinking about what needs to be done over the winter. One thing is rear suspension upgrade and have been looking in to the progressive heavy duty 442's. what I can't figure out though is why are there cut outs in the spring housing exposing the springs ... aren't these shocks going to get filled with crud and whatnot and become useless pretty damn quick. I live out in the country and it's a mile or two of hard packed dirt from the house out to even the first concession road ... and if it's been raining a bit ... I'm running stock shocks now and whenever I wash the bike the housings (cannisters, whatever...) are just caked with crud.

 

Save your $ and get the Shotgun Shock

 

he's in finland.. not sure if JD ships to finland..

anyways.. no idea why they're cut out..my 422's are like that, too, but they're still pretty clean inside.

 

JD shipped HoggyMntBreakdown Shotgun to Japan for free!!

 

I don't know for sure but I'm pretty sure I read on here that the heavy duty 442's rode real bad, very stiff and to get the reg 442's? Maybe someone who has riden both will chime in. Just would hate for you to get the wrong model shipped all the way over there to you.

Good Luck with your purchase

 

I have to agree with the reply about getting the Shotgun shocks on your bike. I am sure JD would ship them just about anywhere in the world. I could be wrong and I am not a big gambler but I would bet that to be true. JD has one hell of a product and he is really trying to establish himself in the market so I am betting he would ship them to you. The best and easiest way to find out would be to call him or send him a message. As far as the Shotgun shock themselves goes it will be the best investment you will ever make on your bike. Many, and I mean many guy's have gone with the 422's only to later pull them off, put them up for sale on ebay or wherever they can dump them to turn around and buy and install the Shotgun on their bikes. As for JD's product? The best on the market as far as suspension goes and worth every penny. Peruse this site, read the many comments on the Shotgun and you will not find one bad word spoken about them by anyone who has them. You can find TONS of used 422's on ebay for sale, you won't find any, I would bet, of used Shotguns on ebay or anywhere else for sale. Take the plunge, make the investment and you will never regret it, ask anyone on here that owns a pair, don't just take my word for it.

 

if you can spare the cash i would go for the shotgun tbh . i had both and there's nothing better then the shotguns atm . i am pretty sure he will ship them to finland cause he i live in belgium and he shipped them to me . just send him an email and he will get back to you .

 

thanx for replies ... will look into both reg. 442's and JD's shotguns ... BEFORE that though I'll try one last time to adjust the preload (stiffer) ... having read about it here I went about doing it and I think the advice that someone had given went like "only the inside of the housing is supposed to turn" So when I was turning the backing plate outwards the whole housing began to turn and so I just stopped thinking this can't be good and turned it back in to where it was ... but then, also here later I read that the whole unit is supposed to turn ... so I guess I'll give it one more go ... crank it out like three turns and see if anything's happened ... could be after seventeen years the springs are just shot (the front springs were - tool bag banging on the front fender over bumps - dropped in progressive springs, all better now) but yeah, I'll try adjusting the preload one more time and go from there. Another thing though, how do I even know if '96 Fatboy rear shocks even ARE adjustable ... are the notches in the backing plate enough to go by that they are? And yeah, I know I sound like a complete dipshit but this is my first season (crap season at that here mostly cold and rain) on a Hog and I managed 8000 miles (completely apeshit about finally having one of these fine F****ers) fixxing and maintaining and changing whatnot and whatever so far ... long reply, I go now. Thanx again.

 

The "PRELOAD" is adjustable on all HD Softail shocks.

 

Rock and roll! Thanx Mr. Road Master PanHeadRich - that's just what I've been waiting to hear ... went to that BikerBill's (or whatever it was) site and all well and good but the first step in the instructions to adjusting your shocks was to first HAVE adjustable shocks and that threw me ... that, and just so I'm clear IS THE ENTIRE HOUSING SUPPOSED TO TURN? I guess it is since the backing plate is pressed in to it. Thanx.