Chrome Fork Install
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 222
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
Before
After
Not cleaned yet , but Huge difference in looks.
Now to take the brakes apart, clean, install new pads and see if I can get some lever.
No lever is what started all this.
Straightleg
After
Not cleaned yet , but Huge difference in looks.
Now to take the brakes apart, clean, install new pads and see if I can get some lever.
No lever is what started all this.
Straightleg
Last edited by straightleg; Jan 10, 2011 at 05:39 PM.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 69
From: Near Myrtle Beach, SC
I might have considered replacing the Harley springs with the Progressive fork spring kit while everything was apart. No personal experience with them yet, but I hear that they make quite a difference.
Regardless of the spring kit, the chrome lowers are definitely the way to go. Stock lowers get stained to easily because they have no effective protective coating. I bought a 2000 RKC a few years ago and the lowers looked like chit with only 13K on the odo.
Congrats on doing the job yourself and finding a pro to install the guts. Remember that the fork oil level in each leg is very important...it needs to be at the correct level...or handing issues may occur.
Regarding your lack of "lever", there could be various causes. Certainly, pad thickness can be one. The piston assembly in the front master cylinder reservoir could be a contributor, as can low fluid level.. Brake line expansion can be yet another. Moisture in the brake fluid can be yet another. You can have some or all of these (unlikely) going on at once contributing to a lack of "lever". Since you are getting down and dirty with all this anyway, why don't you consider changing-out that old brake fluid with some brand new fluid. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, and as such will absorb and retain moisture over time. This can ultimately contribute to a spongy feel at the lever. It will also damage paint, so be careful and cover your painted surfaces when dealing with brake fluid. If you do this, consider some braided brake lines from Diamondback or Goodridge. They look super and resist expansion under pressure.
Good luck with your upgrade plans.
Regardless of the spring kit, the chrome lowers are definitely the way to go. Stock lowers get stained to easily because they have no effective protective coating. I bought a 2000 RKC a few years ago and the lowers looked like chit with only 13K on the odo.
Congrats on doing the job yourself and finding a pro to install the guts. Remember that the fork oil level in each leg is very important...it needs to be at the correct level...or handing issues may occur.
Regarding your lack of "lever", there could be various causes. Certainly, pad thickness can be one. The piston assembly in the front master cylinder reservoir could be a contributor, as can low fluid level.. Brake line expansion can be yet another. Moisture in the brake fluid can be yet another. You can have some or all of these (unlikely) going on at once contributing to a lack of "lever". Since you are getting down and dirty with all this anyway, why don't you consider changing-out that old brake fluid with some brand new fluid. Brake fluid is hygroscopic, and as such will absorb and retain moisture over time. This can ultimately contribute to a spongy feel at the lever. It will also damage paint, so be careful and cover your painted surfaces when dealing with brake fluid. If you do this, consider some braided brake lines from Diamondback or Goodridge. They look super and resist expansion under pressure.
Good luck with your upgrade plans.
Last edited by Lowcountry Joe; Jan 10, 2011 at 09:22 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 447
Likes: 5
From: Orange County, CA
justdid the same mod recently and was wondering if you used chrome bolts to mount your caliper and where did you get them. i tried to order front caliper hardware from HD, and got rear capliper hardware. Can't stand the way it looks with chrome forks and bare bolts.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 222
Likes: 2
From: Ohio
If I find the chrome caliper bolts will post on here.
I am going to take my calipers off and take them apart and clean them.
I believe my sevice manual tells how to do this.
Fast Harley mentioned centering the rotors. Will have to research that some.
I used the 7/16 drill bit and torked the axel nut to 55lbs like the service manual said
Thanks All
Straightleg
I am going to take my calipers off and take them apart and clean them.
I believe my sevice manual tells how to do this.
Fast Harley mentioned centering the rotors. Will have to research that some.
I used the 7/16 drill bit and torked the axel nut to 55lbs like the service manual said
Thanks All
Straightleg
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 559
Likes: 0
From: La Vergne, TN
Gardner-Wescott makes a set. Got mine off Ebay.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 280
From: North Cental Iowa
Hot Toppers makes covers for the caliper bolts, smooth chrome, I think they look better than chrome hardware & are less expensive.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,999
Likes: 55
From: Bay Area
Id agree with the hot toppers, just dont buy aftermarket chrome caliper bolts. They dont come with a shouldered bolt to fit snug in the fork leg holes, they are threaded all the way to the head of the bolt. What does this mean? The threaded portion of a bolt is smaller diameter than the shouldered portion, and the bolt will end up walking in the hole and potentially come loose but more likely wear the hole or pull the threads out of the caliper.
If you have to have chrome, take you stock ones in and have the heads only chromed.
If you have to have chrome, take you stock ones in and have the heads only chromed.
Tourer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 253
Likes: 1
From: New Hampshire
I got a follow up question on this for an 09RG.
My manual says to torque the pinch bolts before the cap bolts on my forks. This seems backwards to me, shouldn't the caps be tightened first to draw the forks up before tightening the pinch bolts?
Thanks
My manual says to torque the pinch bolts before the cap bolts on my forks. This seems backwards to me, shouldn't the caps be tightened first to draw the forks up before tightening the pinch bolts?
Thanks