Forks bottom out?
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
From: Fort Stockton TX
Forks bottom out?
May be a dumb question. I feel like my front forks bottom out over some bumps. What might cause that? Thanks in advance for any ideas. Oh ya! 2006 Ultra Classic
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,813
Likes: 6
From: Rio Grande Valley-Texas
Cheap factory springs and 5wt fluid. Look into an upgrade such as Progressive Springs and 10 or 15wt suspension fluid, should help. There are also more expensive upgrades that are better but just depends on budget.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
AtkRWC says the original fluid is 5w, but I was under the impression it was 15w. Anyway, the SE Heavy is a notch more viscous and that makes a positive difference without increasing harshness. It's a bit firmer, but it's a good firm, as in more control.
You can change it yourself fairly easily. Go here and follow my tutorial, as your '06 should be identical to my '07. Scroll down to the third message on this page.
'07 Fork Oil Change thread, Page 3
Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 174
Likes: 3
From: Tulsa, OK
Is 36mm the size of the top fork cap? Sounds like I may be changing my fork oil to a heavier weight. I changed bars to Wild Ones and put new front brake lines on at same time. The block where the line from master cylinder tees into the 2 front brake lines looked far enough away from my fender to keep the lines off. Wrong! Chipped off the paint where it hit when the forks compressed.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,615
Likes: 50
From: Baton Rouge, LA
Is 36mm the size of the top fork cap? Sounds like I may be changing my fork oil to a heavier weight. I changed bars to Wild Ones and put new front brake lines on at same time. The block where the line from master cylinder tees into the 2 front brake lines looked far enough away from my fender to keep the lines off. Wrong! Chipped off the paint where it hit when the forks compressed.
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: Niagara Frontier, NY
I have the HD front end lowering kit and it bottoms out and tops out pretty bad. I'll try heavier fork oil next.
-Bill*-
-Bill*-
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Tourer
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 331
Likes: 1
From: Fuquay Varina, NC
Just installed a chrome front end kit and went with Progressive stock height springs and Screamin' Eagle heavy weight oil while I had things apart. Great improvement. as iclick indicated, it firmed up the ride some and in a very nice way. I put a set of Progressive fork springs in an 02 Fatboy I had years ago, and that kit did a very nice job there as well. There are numerous way to go about doing this as well as associated cost factors. If your going to have the front end apart, you might want to bite the bullet and add the spring kits for about 75 bucks, or just try the oil change to something a little heavier. Some use Belray which I understand is a little more clear on the weights of their oil, but I would stay away from the Screamin' Eagle extra heavy duty.
Last edited by cegusa; Aug 28, 2008 at 06:34 PM.
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