I have searched a lot for a post/thread that would answer my question(s) but I can't find one. Also searched You Tube. If I've overlooked, sorry.

Motorcycle: 2017 Ultra Limited
Current mileage: 51,xxx
Legend Revo A's installed by me 01/01/2020 @ 37,795mi

Everything was great for awhile; wife loved them (she is the only reason I bought them). But over the course of the year they gradually lost their charm although I had never readjusted the settings (I set the sag for 2 and left it there). Then they started bottoming out. I swapped back to the factory shocks just to ensure it wasn't an issue caused by something else; the problem went away. I put about 2,000mi on trying different settings; going both directions and and even large adjustments just to see what they'd do and even swapping back & forth with factory shocks a time or two. I had been in contact with Legend Support (Chase was super) the whole way and finally sent them back for repair. They got them, repaired and sent back out the same day even. But I have no explanation as to what was wrong; what they did. The only problem with that is that I wanted to be sure I hadn't been doing something wrong or missing something simple and the case was immediately closed so that I couldn't comment anymore to ask. SO....

I went to install them but I am having a problem getting sag and having the left and right even. I turned them even number of turns at the first but then the left had more sag even though they were equal length. It will not correct. The bike is in a chock, upright. My wife was measuring while I sat (yes she's capable lol). There's about a 3/8" difference in threads right now with the same sag. When I put them on last night, I did them one at a time with the bike supported completely on my lift so there was full extension. I saw one little statement from someone in all the videos & forum comments I've seen that stated to start with no shocks on. I can't really see where that would make a difference with it being up in the air and free but...I've got nothing so far. Problems with the swing arm? Possible I guess but highly unlikely in my mind; tire wear is fine, smooth ride, no pulling of any kind, etc. I think this difference was happening before I sent them back but I was trying so many different things that I can't say for sure now.

Anyway, if someone has an idea to try, thank you.

Also, the large aluminum spacers that go between the shocks and the bike, are they designed to conform to the shock & bike as you tighten the bolts? Harley manual specifies a heavy torque value (746' lb is the light end). I used that low end of the torque range but I can tell the spacers are squished a bit but the shocks still swivel on the bearings just fine. Aluminum is soft so I'm thinking/hoping that's by design? I got new spacers from Legend; the previous spacers had done the same thing.

Thanks again. It's late on a Friday night; going into the weekend some places ain't open but I'm hoping to ride a little tomorrow.

 

I think your torque spec is a bit off....
So I'm extremely curious if the spacers are supposed to squish. 746 ft lbs is a lot.

I don't know that I would be all that concerned about the shocks not being precisely the same. I will admit in not totally familiar with them though.

 

Center lift the bike to get the back tire to just kiss the ground, pull the shocks, then measure shock bolt channels top to bottom, both sides, and see if the channels distances are the same left to right side.

If no, then swing arm is not true to the frame, and time to start checking adjustment parts for wear, then re-true the swing arm/motor to the frame.

Also, don't remember what year HD went to the fixed length top link on the motor, but would replace that with a adjustable link to to correct cant of the motor/swing arm as well.

Simply put, if you are having different length of the shocks from top to bottom bolts against each side, its not the shocks, but swing arm/motor that is not aligned correctly to the frame isntead.

 

Yes it does seem like a lot of torque but that’s what’s in the service manual. I’ll post the pic from the manual which has it at 63-70 foot lb but I convert (x12) that to inch pounds since one of my torque wrenches is in inch lbs. and actually it’s 756 not the 746 as I said. I normally go center of torque range but it’s always seemed like too much so I go low end especially with aluminum spacers (which still get crunched). I will check measurements today to see what I might find. Like I said, there has been absolutely nothing else to indicate to me there may be a problem some where but that doesn’t absolutely mean there isn’t. Everything I’ve seen & read so far says to turn the shocks equally and I’ve never seen an exception to that yet. Again, doesn’t absolutely mean there isn’t; I just haven’t seen it maybe. I’ll send tire pics too. I have 11,xxxx miles on this set.

Thanks for your input guys. I’ll keep checking back for more feedback.

 

I suspect you would get this worked out more quickly if you contacted chase again. Trouble ticket or not, he probably remembers your situation. Intuitively, the fact that you were able to install the first set with no problem suggests that this second set has a different problem right out of the box.

 

Legend business hours are M-Th, 7-4:00 Mountain time. HD Forum is 24/7.

 

btsom there is no doubt they repaired the same shocks; not a new set. Is it possible that something has happened to tweek my frame or swing arms just a very tiny bit? Maybe; I just don't know. There has been nothing up til now that would make me think so but I'm not ruling anything out either. There are a lot of people with a lot of varying experience on this forum and I'm just trying to draw from some of that wisdom. I'm no dummy and understand mechanical stuff and have done a lot of things myself but I'm not foolish to think I know everything. We started riding again in 2009 after 25 years when the kids both got married that same year and have logged over 140,000 since. I do a lot of stuff myself as my time, expertise, tools & equipment allow but occasionally something unusual pops up and it's time to take Chumly and go see Mr Whoopi with the 3DBB (Enter the collective experience of HD Forum).

 

I took them back off and measured bolt hole distances.
Left - 13.5”
Right - 13.25”

I don’t know how significant that is but someone else may. I’ll keep looking at other things.

Dano523 I am thinking about your reply and my question is, when you talk about the bolt hole distances, is there a tolerance range that you are familiar with? That’s why I’m not sure if that 1/4” difference is an issue or not. I’m thinking it probably is, but I have no specific guidelines yet.

 

Thinking there lies your problem. Contact them and let them know. Why are you using inch pounds and not foot pounds to tighten your shocks? Just wondering.

 

I have asked the service dept where I got the bike and he said it’s not an issue; 1/2” is the magic number. I am waiting to hear back from another dealer (2nd opinion type thing). Legend is closed til Monday so I will not hear back from them before then. In the meantime, I’ll see if anyone has any experience and/or input that I can glean something from.

Because the torque wrench I used was in inches. All ya gotta do is multiply or divide by 12, whichever way you want to go. No big deal; same torque.