Shocks
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 668
Likes: 246
From: San Diego, CA.
I aggree with the previous responses - replace the oem air shocks with quality aftermarket shocks (Bitubos, Fox, Ohlins, JRI, Yelvington, whatever), and when you decide to do that, improve your total ride and upgrade the front forks with a cartridge type fork insert (which makes the forks maintenance Free), and your total ride experience will be improved exponentially beyond your expectations.
Read all the shock threads on this forum - there are a few - then make your best choice
Read all the shock threads on this forum - there are a few - then make your best choice
Former Sponsor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,360
Likes: 453
From: Davie, FL
I aggree with the previous responses - replace the oem air shocks with quality aftermarket shocks (Bitubos, Fox, Ohlins, JRI, Yelvington, whatever), and when you decide to do that, improve your total ride and upgrade the front forks with a cartridge type fork insert (which makes the forks maintenance Free), and your total ride experience will be improved exponentially beyond your expectations.
Read all the shock threads on this forum - there are a few - then make your best choice
Read all the shock threads on this forum - there are a few - then make your best choice
Fork oil with less than 10,000 miles on it.
Slider bottom after the oil was carefully drained with a pile of metal deposits left on the bottom. This is left from dirt on the fork tubes from the elements and metal particles from the bushing wear. This will happen in all HD's.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 668
Likes: 246
From: San Diego, CA.
Howard, I am sure not intending on starting a fight with you on this, just going with the resources and information I have obtained along the way. Not sure what or why your situation happened at all - was that issue in the pictures resulting from standard oem Harley fork springs setup?
...the Progressive monotube fork cartridges I had installed in my forks are in fact maintenance free. The only requirement is a small amount of oil for lubrication in the fork tubes, but since there is no longer dampening effect of any fork oil in the cartridge scenario, there is no need to change that oil, from everything I have been given. And, progressive covers them with a lifetime warranty.
I believe the higher end offerings from Legend and or Ohlins and or anyone else are similar in this regard.
Last edited by HM_SanDiego; Mar 30, 2018 at 10:58 AM.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,360
Likes: 453
From: Davie, FL
Howard, I am sure not intending on starting a fight with you on this, just going with the resources and information I have obtained along the way. Not sure what or why your situation happened at all - was that issue in the pictures resulting from standard oem Harley fork springs setup?
...the Progressive monotube fork cartridges I had installed in my forks are in fact maintenance free. The only requirement is a small amount of oil for lubrication in the fork tubes, but since there is no longer dampening effect of any fork oil in the cartridge scenario, there is no need to change that oil, from everything I have been given. And, progressive covers them with a lifetime warranty.
I believe the higher end offerings from Legend and or Ohlins and or anyone else are similar in this regard.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 668
Likes: 246
From: San Diego, CA.
Why do you think there is a fight? I indicated why you are wrong and explained to you why you are wrong and how it works. Once the members read your post they will not put oil in their forks much change their bushings if they think your statement is true. Use common sense and think about your last statement. Your information will cost them the cost of new fork tubes. A sealed cartridge is just that, you can not rebuild it, you throw it away once it wears out. Yes, it is maintenance free, so is shoes. Is your forks? No, they are not. What is there to fight about? Just provide useful and truthful information which you have not done so. Read around about the "And, progressive covers them with a lifetime warranty". this week when he tried to collect on that free lifetime warranty.
Furthermore, I have yet to find, read, or be referred to any reference (service manual or wherever, including Progressive Suspensions information) that says otherwise.
I cannot personally comment on Progressive Suspensions warranty or customer service yet, becUse I just had mine installed, but, the fact remains that their monotube fork cartridges come with a “limited lifetime warranty”. So, if the “POS cartridges” (as you refer to them) do wear out in my lifetime, I have recourse to get replacements.
I look forward to your thought provoking, articulate, well throught out, and well spoken comments, insight advice, and resource references.
Make it a great day, and have Blessed Easter Weekend.
Last edited by HM_SanDiego; Mar 30, 2018 at 03:09 PM.
Former Sponsor
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 5,360
Likes: 453
From: Davie, FL
For what its worth to anyone, it is my understanding that the fork cartridges are maintenance free, which they are, and I believe you actually confirmed that. And, considering replacing the oem springs and internal fork parts in the forks essentially removed the springs and dampening oil, and almost everything else inside there, and replaced them with a sealed cartridge unit, which only requires a minimal amount of oil for lubrication, there (in theory) is nothing inside the forks at that point that require maintenance (such as oil changes)......
Furthermore, I have yet to find, read, or be referred to any reference (service manual or wherever, including Progressive Suspensions information) that says otherwise.
I cannot personally comment on Progressive Suspensions warranty or customer service yet, becUse I just had mine installed, but, the fact remains that their monotube fork cartridges come with a limited lifetime warranty. So, if the POS cartridges (as you refer to them) do wear out in my lifetime, I have recourse to get replacements.
I look forward to your thought provoking, articulate, well throught out, and well spoken comments, insight advice, and resource references.
Make it a great day, and have Blessed Easter Weekend.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 668
Likes: 246
From: San Diego, CA.
Have a phenomenal and blessed Easter Weekend !
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,143
Likes: 11,214
From: San Diego, CA
RECAP: Howard showed pics of fork oil (with only 10K miles) and deposits at the bottom of the slider. He commented, "You have bushings that need to be lubricated with oil. Metal filings/deposits & dirt must be removed and fork oil changed." and "Slider bottom after the oil was carefully drained with a pile of metal deposits left on the bottom. This is left from dirt on the fork tubes from the elements and metal particles from the bushing wear. This will happen in all HD's."
And of course, after all that, you regurgitated your opinion (certainly backed by years of suspension maintenance, repair, and design) and added:
"I look forward to your thought provoking, articulate, well throught out, and well spoken comments, insight advice, and resource references."
I see no reason why he should keep repeating himself because you fail to understand, accept, or like his response....
I did not see any, "decisively indisputable logic, clear evidence, documented scientific study," in any of your responses..... maybe you should reread his response once you straighten out your panties....
Last edited by hattitude; Mar 30, 2018 at 06:16 PM.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 668
Likes: 246
From: San Diego, CA.
Um, I don't understand your reply, because he did clearly articulate, in his first response, why they are not maintenance free... you just failed to understand and/or accept his comments. Yeah, he called BS on your post... it apparently got your panties in a wad, and affected your reading comprehension..
RECAP: Howard showed pics of fork oil (with only 10K miles) and deposits at the bottom of the slider. He commented, "You have bushings that need to be lubricated with oil. Metal filings/deposits & dirt must be removed and fork oil changed." and "Slider bottom after the oil was carefully drained with a pile of metal deposits left on the bottom. This is left from dirt on the fork tubes from the elements and metal particles from the bushing wear. This will happen in all HD's."
And of course, after all that, you regurgitated your opinion (certainly backed by years of suspension maintenance, repair, and design) and added:
"I look forward to your thought provoking, articulate, well throught out, and well spoken comments, insight advice, and resource references."
I see no reason why he should keep repeating himself because you fail to understand, accept, or like his response....
I did not see any, "decisively indisputable logic, clear evidence, documented scientific study," in any of your responses..... maybe you should reread his response once you straighten out your panties....
RECAP: Howard showed pics of fork oil (with only 10K miles) and deposits at the bottom of the slider. He commented, "You have bushings that need to be lubricated with oil. Metal filings/deposits & dirt must be removed and fork oil changed." and "Slider bottom after the oil was carefully drained with a pile of metal deposits left on the bottom. This is left from dirt on the fork tubes from the elements and metal particles from the bushing wear. This will happen in all HD's."
And of course, after all that, you regurgitated your opinion (certainly backed by years of suspension maintenance, repair, and design) and added:
"I look forward to your thought provoking, articulate, well throught out, and well spoken comments, insight advice, and resource references."
I see no reason why he should keep repeating himself because you fail to understand, accept, or like his response....
I did not see any, "decisively indisputable logic, clear evidence, documented scientific study," in any of your responses..... maybe you should reread his response once you straighten out your panties....
The Progressive Suspensions monotube cartridges are in fact “maintenance free”, and neither Howard, you, or anyone else (so far) has provided any information to the contrary. That was infact what caused Howard to seemingly get “his panties in a wad”.....and Then Howard took his toy ball and went home, as “he was done”, which is fine with me.....
You have yourself a spectacular Easter weekend
Last edited by HM_SanDiego; Mar 30, 2018 at 06:24 PM.
