Get it off the ground, heat it up and then a wrench and a small sledge, or even a heavy rubber mallet, with continuous blows will break it free. NEVER use a torque wrench in this application!!!

 

I broke the bolts free on my Springer with it on the ground. Purchsed a very short 3/4" box end wrench at Lowes. Was able to get the wrench on the bolt heads, then beat the wrench with a mallet.

 

I found a few raps with a hammer on a good wrench did the trick.

 

J&S jack with a boxed end wrench and a rubber mallet.

The right side is the one that didn't want to come out.

I used a second bike jack to align the height of the rear tire for clearing the front shock mounts.
Once installed with the bike lifted, you can raise and lower the Shotgun to make sure you have clearance for the compressor and adjust it's position if needed before tightening it down.

 

Yeah jack it up, articulating the rear will give you more access. Get a buddy or two and a case of beer to give you a hand and steady the bike if it seems sketchy (depending on your floor jack/hoist).

 

OMG! *insert expletive here* I have spent the last 3 hours in the garage trying to get this thing installed.

In the end, once I'd jacked the bike up, getting those bolts off the stock shocks was easy with the breaker bar. I lined the bar up, then straddled the bike whilst I pushed on the bar with my foot. I had to do this because otherwise it was trying to lever the bike off the lift! But they came off pretty easy after that.

But I can't believe how many times I had to raise and lower the bike during the install! Raise up to undo the rear bolts, lower back down and move the lift, raise back up partly to remove the front nuts. Lower back down to get the stock shocks out. Raise back up to get the bolts in on the shotgun. Lower back down to be able to raise it up to horizontal. Raise back up to get the front bolts in. And how hard is that!?! The bolts are only just long enough to make it through the collars and into the shocks with the three washers on, so it requires very fine control over the bike lift, etc. etc.

Because I've got ABS, the compressor has to be mounted in front of the shock, under the transmission. Once the shotgun is in, you can't get in under the bike unless its on the lift, and the lift arms are too wide to be able to get the compressor in as the lift gets in the way. So I had to jack it up, and support the kickstand and rear wheel somehow whilst I got the lift out of the way.

So all the hardware is how in place (finally!) But I'm not sure how to route the wiring. I put the switches on the horn bracket, routing the wires under the tank (another whole story) but the main harness cabling for the compressor, and the wiring on the compressor, don't have enough combined length for me to easily route this part of the wiring.

How are you guys (with ABS or otherwise mounting the compressor at the front under the transmission) routing your wiring for the compressor itself?

I've at least tried it out now though, having the saddle off and wiring stuff together around the outside of the primary for now. Pretty cool!

Once the wiring is done, I just need to torque up the rear bolts and zip-tie everything away from moving parts. Hopefully I can get this all done tomorrow (with your help?) and take a ride out to the local club meet to show it off.

Next time, I'm taking it to an indy or at least someone with the proper equipment!

 

Finally got the wiring to meet up. Hoping to take it for a ride this evening if the weather holds.

 

I tried for about a hot minute to route the cable up through the battery box, before I gave up and just ran it around back and up where my trickle charger wire was hanging. Zip tied everything up and it was good to go. The harness was just long enough to lay across the top of the battery nice and pretty.