still confused about rear shocks
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still confused about rear shocks
fellas,
need the help of all the gurus on the forum. got me an '06 superglide with stock suspension. i want to put some lower rear shocks on without adjusting or lowering anything on the front. from what i was told, the stock shocks are 13.5 inches bolt to bolt. went to the dealerand had mine measured (bought the bike used and the person who had it before me was a shorty too and i wasn't sure if they had already been changed) and they measured 12.5" bolt to bolt but he said that because they were already adjusted to the lowest setting. i wasn;t really confident that he knew what he was talking about. anyway, i'm eitherconsidering the harley low rider rear shock kit or something from progressive. thedescription in the hd catalog doesn't give the length of the shock but says it will lower theseat height 1". I like the progressive 412's but they only come in 11" or 12" for that bike. I'm not sure of the 11's are too low and I don't think the 12's will make much of a difference. the 418's come in 11.5" but they are not my style. and the 440's? has they are selling the for $670, that's ridiculous.... anyway, need some advice thanks.
need the help of all the gurus on the forum. got me an '06 superglide with stock suspension. i want to put some lower rear shocks on without adjusting or lowering anything on the front. from what i was told, the stock shocks are 13.5 inches bolt to bolt. went to the dealerand had mine measured (bought the bike used and the person who had it before me was a shorty too and i wasn't sure if they had already been changed) and they measured 12.5" bolt to bolt but he said that because they were already adjusted to the lowest setting. i wasn;t really confident that he knew what he was talking about. anyway, i'm eitherconsidering the harley low rider rear shock kit or something from progressive. thedescription in the hd catalog doesn't give the length of the shock but says it will lower theseat height 1". I like the progressive 412's but they only come in 11" or 12" for that bike. I'm not sure of the 11's are too low and I don't think the 12's will make much of a difference. the 418's come in 11.5" but they are not my style. and the 440's? has they are selling the for $670, that's ridiculous.... anyway, need some advice thanks.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,492
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From: MA
RE: still confused about rear shocks
Stock Superglide shocks are 12.6" eye to eye. The discontinued FXDX had 13.5" rear, but no other late model dyna had anything longer than 12.6". That would mean the lowering kit will get you down to 11.6 if it's lowered 1" from stock.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 916
Likes: 3
From: Mauldin, SC
RE: still confused about rear shocks
Your stock shocks are 12 5/8" as glide05 said. Low Rider shocks are 12". If you decide on 12" shocks, get the Progressives rather than the Low Rider ones.
Keep in mind that the shocks are at about a 45° angle, so the amount of lowering is not the same as the difference in length.
Keep in mind that the shocks are at about a 45° angle, so the amount of lowering is not the same as the difference in length.
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RE: still confused about rear shocks
ORIGINAL: murphdog
Your stock shocks are 12 5/8" as glide05 said. Low Rider shocks are 12". If you decide on 12" shocks, get the Progressives rather than the Low Rider ones.
Keep in mind that the shocks are at about a 45° angle, so the amount of lowering is not the same as the difference in length.
Your stock shocks are 12 5/8" as glide05 said. Low Rider shocks are 12". If you decide on 12" shocks, get the Progressives rather than the Low Rider ones.
Keep in mind that the shocks are at about a 45° angle, so the amount of lowering is not the same as the difference in length.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 193
Likes: 0
RE: still confused about rear shocks
Not hijacking the thread, but I've done the progressive 418 rear shocks on my FXDCI-06 (superglide) a while ago.
They are 11,5" long compared to the stock ones that are supposed to be 12,6".
Because they are at a 45 degree angel, I´m not sure about the real height in lowering.
So, now I'm ready to do the progressive front lowering kit. Already ordered one.
Here´s my question.
There is a choice of going 1" or 2" lower with the progressives front lowering kit (use on or 2 lowering damp springs).
To keep the original geometry of the bike, I´m supposed to lower 1", right?
/Dan
They are 11,5" long compared to the stock ones that are supposed to be 12,6".
Because they are at a 45 degree angel, I´m not sure about the real height in lowering.
So, now I'm ready to do the progressive front lowering kit. Already ordered one.
Here´s my question.
There is a choice of going 1" or 2" lower with the progressives front lowering kit (use on or 2 lowering damp springs).
To keep the original geometry of the bike, I´m supposed to lower 1", right?
/Dan
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 1
From: MA
RE: still confused about rear shocks
Assuming the angle is 45deg, which seems like a reasonable guess, if the shock is shorter by 1", then the seat height will be lowered by 0.707".
If the lowering kit describes lowering the seat height by 1", then the shocks are indeed shorter by 1.414 times that (once again, assuming the 45 deg angle is accurate)
Dan B - I would not lower the front anymore than you are lowering the back, this will shorten the "trail" which could negatively affect front end stability.
If the lowering kit describes lowering the seat height by 1", then the shocks are indeed shorter by 1.414 times that (once again, assuming the 45 deg angle is accurate)
Dan B - I would not lower the front anymore than you are lowering the back, this will shorten the "trail" which could negatively affect front end stability.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,530
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From: Sussex County NJ
RE: still confused about rear shocks
ORIGINAL: Dan B
Not hijacking the thread, but I've done the progressive 418 rear shocks on my FXDCI-06 (superglide) a while ago.
They are 11,5" long compared to the stock ones that are supposed to be 12,6".
Because they are at a 45 degree angel, I´m not sure about the real height in lowering.
So, now I'm ready to do the progressive front lowering kit. Already ordered one.
Here´s my question.
There is a choice of going 1" or 2" lower with the progressives front lowering kit (use on or 2 lowering damp springs).
To keep the original geometry of the bike, I´m supposed to lower 1", right?
/Dan
Not hijacking the thread, but I've done the progressive 418 rear shocks on my FXDCI-06 (superglide) a while ago.
They are 11,5" long compared to the stock ones that are supposed to be 12,6".
Because they are at a 45 degree angel, I´m not sure about the real height in lowering.
So, now I'm ready to do the progressive front lowering kit. Already ordered one.
Here´s my question.
There is a choice of going 1" or 2" lower with the progressives front lowering kit (use on or 2 lowering damp springs).
To keep the original geometry of the bike, I´m supposed to lower 1", right?
/Dan
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 916
Likes: 3
From: Mauldin, SC
RE: still confused about rear shocks
ORIGINAL: glide05
Assuming the angle is 45deg, which seems like a reasonable guess, if the shock is shorter by 1", then the seat height will be lowered by 0.707".
If the lowering kit describes lowering the seat height by 1", then the shocks are indeed shorter by 1.414 times that (once again, assuming the 45 deg angle is accurate)
Dan B - I would not lower the front anymore than you are lowering the back, this will shorten the "trail" which could negatively affect front end stability.
Assuming the angle is 45deg, which seems like a reasonable guess, if the shock is shorter by 1", then the seat height will be lowered by 0.707".
If the lowering kit describes lowering the seat height by 1", then the shocks are indeed shorter by 1.414 times that (once again, assuming the 45 deg angle is accurate)
Dan B - I would not lower the front anymore than you are lowering the back, this will shorten the "trail" which could negatively affect front end stability.