Swing arm mods for the '08 and earlier frames
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,505
Likes: 56
From: Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Swing arm mods for the '08 and earlier frames
Having a coffee the other day I got into a conversation with a "know it all" about how crappy the older frames handle as opposed to the '09 + models.
He said there is a lengthy fix that involves bolting on brackets or something to the swing arm of the older frames and it is perfect. Is there such a kit, this guy talks a lot?
He said there is a lengthy fix that involves bolting on brackets or something to the swing arm of the older frames and it is perfect. Is there such a kit, this guy talks a lot?
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 4
From: Log home in SE Michigan full time. Log cabin in east TN, Smoky Mountians part time
Tru trac is one, and many others are available. I say BS to all of them. I've owned my 08' FLHX since new and never have had any issues with wobble. I've ridden it to 125mph...no wobble at all. Tell the coffee drinker to try decaf, lol.
Why is it all the know it alls never even sat on an 08' and earlier seat let alone ride one...they have all the answers to these "issues". Same morons say you cant place a 180 in a stock swing arm, same ones say you cant R&R the oil from the rear air shocks, same ones say you have to pull the fairing and fork legs to change their oil, same ones say you cant have a lowering kit on a FLHX or it rides ruff. The list is long and the idiot line is longer.
Why is it all the know it alls never even sat on an 08' and earlier seat let alone ride one...they have all the answers to these "issues". Same morons say you cant place a 180 in a stock swing arm, same ones say you cant R&R the oil from the rear air shocks, same ones say you have to pull the fairing and fork legs to change their oil, same ones say you cant have a lowering kit on a FLHX or it rides ruff. The list is long and the idiot line is longer.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,976
Likes: 49
From: Northern California
I have owned 2 08 and earlier and did the maintenance of 3 friends 08 and earlier bikes all road kings.
Nobody can tell me this condition does not exist. I could make it happen once I learned what caused it. It could be quite scary.
My first 04 had a pronounced wag under certain conditions. I had this bike from 05-09 My current 04 does not have it nearly as severe and is slight. Only 1 of the other bikes had the problem. They can and do have this "wag" or wobble or whatever.
First thing is to make sure everything is correct, do the proper fall away fork adjustment. Make sure the swingarm pivot is properly torqued.
Check your spokes if running them for proper tightness and the air in the tires.
Even if everything is good certain bikes will wag.
I think 2 areas of the bike are the cause. The rear swingarm pivot/motormount and the top tree design of the front forks.
I have always felt that using the tour track, Alloy Art ,true track or whatever additional "link" was a bandaid and fails to address the real problem with the rear of the bike, the swingarm pivot.
Glide pro makes a new axle and bushings and this corrects the issue. On all 3 bikes I installed tis on there was an immediately noticed difference and the wag never again reared its ugly head.I think there is another company that makes something similar.
Do the third link fixes work, yes they do and quite nice but it is a band aid.
There is nothing wrong with the swingarm itself on these models, now go back to the 3/4 inch rear axle models and they suck, you should update it with a late model swingarm.
I wish I could afford the Glidepro setup again as I liked the nice solid feeling it gives the rear of the bike. Someday and the front tree too.
Nobody can tell me this condition does not exist. I could make it happen once I learned what caused it. It could be quite scary.
My first 04 had a pronounced wag under certain conditions. I had this bike from 05-09 My current 04 does not have it nearly as severe and is slight. Only 1 of the other bikes had the problem. They can and do have this "wag" or wobble or whatever.
First thing is to make sure everything is correct, do the proper fall away fork adjustment. Make sure the swingarm pivot is properly torqued.
Check your spokes if running them for proper tightness and the air in the tires.
Even if everything is good certain bikes will wag.
I think 2 areas of the bike are the cause. The rear swingarm pivot/motormount and the top tree design of the front forks.
I have always felt that using the tour track, Alloy Art ,true track or whatever additional "link" was a bandaid and fails to address the real problem with the rear of the bike, the swingarm pivot.
Glide pro makes a new axle and bushings and this corrects the issue. On all 3 bikes I installed tis on there was an immediately noticed difference and the wag never again reared its ugly head.I think there is another company that makes something similar.
Do the third link fixes work, yes they do and quite nice but it is a band aid.
There is nothing wrong with the swingarm itself on these models, now go back to the 3/4 inch rear axle models and they suck, you should update it with a late model swingarm.
I wish I could afford the Glidepro setup again as I liked the nice solid feeling it gives the rear of the bike. Someday and the front tree too.
Cruiser
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 107
Likes: 0
From: Queensland, Australia
Yep, it happens... and it can be really, really scary. On my two pre-2008 tourers I've never noticed any issues with the front, but the rear can decide to do it's own steering at times and feels disconnected from the front of the bike. Not a good feeling when the rear wheel gets upset and the bike starts diving all over the place half way through a 2 lane sweeper with a vehicle beside you - must look pretty crazy as well!
The fix?
I changed over to Progressive suspension and lowered the rear of my 2000 RK by 1.5 inches and lowered the front by an inch. Never happened again for some reason. Handles great.
On my 06 Street Glide I fitted the Progressive Touring Link (fits 93 - 2008). This stopped the issue completely. It was also one of the most reasonably priced on the market and easiest to fit.
Hope this helps
The fix?
I changed over to Progressive suspension and lowered the rear of my 2000 RK by 1.5 inches and lowered the front by an inch. Never happened again for some reason. Handles great.
On my 06 Street Glide I fitted the Progressive Touring Link (fits 93 - 2008). This stopped the issue completely. It was also one of the most reasonably priced on the market and easiest to fit.
Hope this helps
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 153
Likes: 3
So what exactly are the conditions where this is noticeable? I have an 07 EGUC with 11K that I just bought last year with 5K on it. I replaced the tires with Avon Cobras (not that that makes any difference) and have had the bike up to 85-90 and not a single problem. Was not in a hard lean at that speed. I am not particularly aggressive in the turns bit have polished the chrome around a turn or two and noticed no problem. Does this issue surface after more miles of wear? I am trying to follow what you said as a permanent fix w/o going the "bandaid" route. How involved is that fix? It is something I might consider at next tire change to avoid an issue.
Not trying to hijack this thread from OP but I think folks would be interested in knowing exactly what makes the wobble happen.
Not trying to hijack this thread from OP but I think folks would be interested in knowing exactly what makes the wobble happen.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,576
Likes: 7,953
From: Long Island, New York
My 2005 Road Glide did not have an issue, EXCEPT when loaded heavy for a long trip. It could get a little squirrelly. I installed the True-trak unit and the problem was gone. Since then I have also done Progressive Suspension upgrades front and back and moved on to Michelins. We are all good on my end.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 3,328
Likes: 15
From: Pacific Northwest
I can induce a very scary wobble on my '06 SG at will ( and I very rarely 'will' it to happen). I always have to laugh when I read where someone says BS to the issue and the different fixes simply because they have never experienced it. And the wobble is not limited to pre-'09 frames, but they are improved and fewer of them exhibit this shake. Those that do, wobble to a lesser degree.
If one rides at a reasonable pace and loafs along at the speeds intended for these bikes, they will likely never find the hinge in the middle of the bike. But those that push the limits will find it almost immediately and the first place to look is a hard-on-the-throttle-to-redline, high speed right hand sweeper. That usually gets things started on any rubber mount frame (Touring/Dyna).
There are braces that bolt to the bottom of the frame as well as partial to complete swingarm pivot/bushing kits. Most of the braces need little time or mechanical aptitude to install. The pivot/bushing kits are a little more involved.
My bike is getting a pivot/bushing kit known as Glide Pro and a set of Ohlins shocks.
If you go to the search bar and type in 'frame stabilizers' you'll find more that you ever wanted to know.
If one rides at a reasonable pace and loafs along at the speeds intended for these bikes, they will likely never find the hinge in the middle of the bike. But those that push the limits will find it almost immediately and the first place to look is a hard-on-the-throttle-to-redline, high speed right hand sweeper. That usually gets things started on any rubber mount frame (Touring/Dyna).
There are braces that bolt to the bottom of the frame as well as partial to complete swingarm pivot/bushing kits. Most of the braces need little time or mechanical aptitude to install. The pivot/bushing kits are a little more involved.
My bike is getting a pivot/bushing kit known as Glide Pro and a set of Ohlins shocks.
If you go to the search bar and type in 'frame stabilizers' you'll find more that you ever wanted to know.
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Joe Kucinski
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 279
Likes: 13
From: Mentor, Ohio
I have owned 2 08 and earlier and did the maintenance of 3 friends 08 and earlier bikes all road kings.
Nobody can tell me this condition does not exist. I could make it happen once I learned what caused it. It could be quite scary.
My first 04 had a pronounced wag under certain conditions. I had this bike from 05-09 My current 04 does not have it nearly as severe and is slight. Only 1 of the other bikes had the problem. They can and do have this "wag" or wobble or whatever.
First thing is to make sure everything is correct, do the proper fall away fork adjustment. Make sure the swingarm pivot is properly torqued.
Check your spokes if running them for proper tightness and the air in the tires.
Even if everything is good certain bikes will wag.
I think 2 areas of the bike are the cause. The rear swingarm pivot/motormount and the top tree design of the front forks.
I have always felt that using the tour track, Alloy Art ,true track or whatever additional "link" was a bandaid and fails to address the real problem with the rear of the bike, the swingarm pivot.
Glide pro makes a new axle and bushings and this corrects the issue. On all 3 bikes I installed tis on there was an immediately noticed difference and the wag never again reared its ugly head.I think there is another company that makes something similar.
Do the third link fixes work, yes they do and quite nice but it is a band aid.
There is nothing wrong with the swingarm itself on these models, now go back to the 3/4 inch rear axle models and they suck, you should update it with a late model swingarm.
I wish I could afford the Glidepro setup again as I liked the nice solid feeling it gives the rear of the bike. Someday and the front tree too.
Nobody can tell me this condition does not exist. I could make it happen once I learned what caused it. It could be quite scary.
My first 04 had a pronounced wag under certain conditions. I had this bike from 05-09 My current 04 does not have it nearly as severe and is slight. Only 1 of the other bikes had the problem. They can and do have this "wag" or wobble or whatever.
First thing is to make sure everything is correct, do the proper fall away fork adjustment. Make sure the swingarm pivot is properly torqued.
Check your spokes if running them for proper tightness and the air in the tires.
Even if everything is good certain bikes will wag.
I think 2 areas of the bike are the cause. The rear swingarm pivot/motormount and the top tree design of the front forks.
I have always felt that using the tour track, Alloy Art ,true track or whatever additional "link" was a bandaid and fails to address the real problem with the rear of the bike, the swingarm pivot.
Glide pro makes a new axle and bushings and this corrects the issue. On all 3 bikes I installed tis on there was an immediately noticed difference and the wag never again reared its ugly head.I think there is another company that makes something similar.
Do the third link fixes work, yes they do and quite nice but it is a band aid.
There is nothing wrong with the swingarm itself on these models, now go back to the 3/4 inch rear axle models and they suck, you should update it with a late model swingarm.
I wish I could afford the Glidepro setup again as I liked the nice solid feeling it gives the rear of the bike. Someday and the front tree too.
The real fix for me was the GlidePro set up, still a vibration free ride and good solid feel..here is a pic of the stock bushing I took out..
