Im installing 11" 412HD shocks on my 07 FXDC this Thursday. Im 220 my wife 130 we ride 2 up prolly 4 days a week. what is the best preload setting for us? I contacted Progressive via Live Help online and he just skirted my question for 15 minutes. Will we need to run em full crank or can i get a little give w out destroying the under fender wire harness? thanks guys. ive been a long time lurker

 

I had the same set up on my 2008 fxdc. I am 200 and wife about 100. Even at lightest setting, I never bottomed out. Almost like on struts.
Maybe start a few clicks up and carry the spanner.

Go very slow on speed bumps, that caused more issues than anything else, and being almost thrown off the bike on expansion joints on bridges. Ride safe, they are unforgiving.

 

What your supposed to do is hold the bike up level and have someone measure some point such as the bottom of your fender or the top shock bolt. then put your weight on the bike and measure again noting you should get not more than 1" of sag. Turn both shocks the exact same amount from zero. It'es easy to do and takes about 5 minutes.

 

You have a total of 1.5" of swingarm travel with 11" shocks. Obviously the ride will not be all that great, the progressive shocks will only make it worse. Anyways, the suspension should be set with about 33% sag or so. So you want a total sag of only 1/2". That means you measure the amount of sag from the bike, then the amount with the rider added. Also the amount with passenger added....good luck!

 

im familiar with setting sag and am in no way expecting a plush ride from these shocks. my deliema is that im putting the shocks on thursday, picking her up from work and doing a ride thursday evening, so i wont have the opportunity to set sag before we both ride. sounds like if i just set em somewhere in the middle i should be just fine

 

You should be fine brother. I have the same shocks on my '06 FXDB and have tried all settings. The ride changes a bit so I just adjusted for comfort (a relative term I know) but honestly I have never bottomed out even riding two up with any of the settings.

 

Progressive shocks come with a wrench right in the box. At least all mine did. Take the wrench with you. Start on the second softest and hit the road. Turn them both up one click at a time till your happy. Were talking about 15-20 seconds here. They are super easy to adjust.

 

Got the 11" 412HD's installed and have about 500 miles on em. They are alot tighter and bumps are more pronounced. Started them on setting 3 but have settled on 2. I have the SE Heavy Fork oil in the fronts and id say its a nice match for the stiffer rear shocks. Thanks for the help guys