2005 front forks
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From: clearwater, fl
'05 front forks oil change ???
to start off with yes i did a search for this. but really have not got a clear answer. have a 2005 electra glide classic
i just found out today that the left front fork has a cartridge in it. how much of a pain in the *** is that to change that out? anybody know of a thread handy or a site on how to do that? i have the clymer manual and they suck.
the issues i have been experiencing is. 25-30mph front end shake. the front end also fells "loose" also while taking slow corners i feel that shake. like the handle bars go back and forth. nothing violent though.
riding with some buddies this weekend and we compared suspension travel. now mind you he had progressive springs on his, but his was tight traveled about 1in were mine traveled down about 4-5 inches.
the front tire does not looked cupped, it about 5 months old. its the standard dunlop tire by harley. rear tire is still good.
tightened the neck down to spec along with greasing the neck.
i just found out today that the left front fork has a cartridge in it. how much of a pain in the *** is that to change that out? anybody know of a thread handy or a site on how to do that? i have the clymer manual and they suck.
the issues i have been experiencing is. 25-30mph front end shake. the front end also fells "loose" also while taking slow corners i feel that shake. like the handle bars go back and forth. nothing violent though.
riding with some buddies this weekend and we compared suspension travel. now mind you he had progressive springs on his, but his was tight traveled about 1in were mine traveled down about 4-5 inches.
the front tire does not looked cupped, it about 5 months old. its the standard dunlop tire by harley. rear tire is still good.
tightened the neck down to spec along with greasing the neck.
Last edited by bulldogmoe7; Nov 28, 2009 at 01:01 PM.
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Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Roswell, GA
PM maineunltraclassic for the parts list for removing the cartridge and replacing it with the same parts used in the 2005 Road King which OEM did not have the cartridge like the fairing models have. He's posted the parts list in several threads.
I have an '04 EG which has the same forks you have, and haven't experienced the problem you describe, so I wouldn't assume that the cartridge is the problem.
You can get firmer suspension while retaining the cartridge by changing to SE fork oil.
I thought about dumping the cartridge when I did a chrome front-end earlier this year, but would replace the guts in both forks with the '06 parts (no cartridge but many different parts from '04 and '05) since the '05 Road King OEM parts are for a fairing-less bike and I doubted HD went to the trouble to equip fairing bikes with the different parts if they weren't necessary.
The HD Service Manual has a Vehicle Alignment procedure in it that is worth doing so that issues regarding wobble, etc. can be addressed knowing that the alignment is right and not a cause or contributor to whatever issues are being addressed IMO. The half dozen or so guys I know who have done the alignment have found the bike's alignment has been off and required some modification to make it right.
Good luck with resolving your problem.
Carl
I have an '04 EG which has the same forks you have, and haven't experienced the problem you describe, so I wouldn't assume that the cartridge is the problem.
You can get firmer suspension while retaining the cartridge by changing to SE fork oil.
I thought about dumping the cartridge when I did a chrome front-end earlier this year, but would replace the guts in both forks with the '06 parts (no cartridge but many different parts from '04 and '05) since the '05 Road King OEM parts are for a fairing-less bike and I doubted HD went to the trouble to equip fairing bikes with the different parts if they weren't necessary.
The HD Service Manual has a Vehicle Alignment procedure in it that is worth doing so that issues regarding wobble, etc. can be addressed knowing that the alignment is right and not a cause or contributor to whatever issues are being addressed IMO. The half dozen or so guys I know who have done the alignment have found the bike's alignment has been off and required some modification to make it right.
Good luck with resolving your problem.
Carl
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 10,449
Likes: 46
From: Roswell, GA
FastHoss, I should have mentioned in my original post that I did the vehicle alignment using the HD tool (loaned to me by a buddy) and mine didn't require any modification. Like you, I haven't experienced any wobble and can ride without hands on the bars without the bike wandering.
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From: clearwater, fl
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From: clearwater, fl
ok i took the forks out and wow. after reading the manual and listening to a buddy of mines fix your hog video, they state i need to take everything apart. when i drained the right side it came out brown, the left side drained red. the thing is they drained about the same amount of fluid. the left side has a cartridge, i figured it would drain less on the left.
any insight here?
any insight here?
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From: clearwater, fl
is there any tell tale signs to know if there is for sure a cartridge in the left side? both sides feel the same, weigh about the same and the same amount of fluid came out of both sides.
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From: clearwater, fl
got another question. if my buddy still has them he took his forks off of his 2006 road king and replaced them with chrome front forks. will his 2006 non cartridge left fork fit on my 2005 EGC??