I've only owned my Fat Boy for about a month at this point. I haven't bought any tools for it yet, but I do have a bunch of my own tools.

That said, I'm going to buy (but haven't yet) the Spanner Wrench for the Soft Tail Shocks, because I know my adult daughter will want to ride with me at some point.

What is the proper procedure for adjusting the 2004 Fat Boy pair of rear suspension shocks (how many turns) for setting the bike up for taking a rider?

Any procedural or functional suggestions/recommendations you would make for doing this right?

-Nutmegger

 

Good information here

Apparently can't post a link to competitive board. Google 'softail rear shock adjust'. Step by step on several forums.

 

nutmegger

Here's a copy and paste of one of the best step by step shock adjust posts. Didn't mean to just tell ya to google....I assume you may have tried that.

The procedure I use is fairly simple. Its based on the procedure from fatbillscustoms.com, but their website is gone now. It was fairly detained. I've made some tweaks to it for simplicity... Enjoy...

1) Jack the bike up so the rear tire is off the ground. The more clearance you have the easier it is. Don't forget to strap the bike down. You don't want it falling on you while your wrenching underneath it.
2) Loosen the jam nut all the way out. Its a 1-1/16" nut. If it doesn't want to loosen easily (which is often the case), soak it in some penetrating lube.
3) With a spanner wrench (HD p/n 94448-82B) turn the adjuster plate counter-clockwise (so the shock housing moves towards the front of the bike) until its up against the jam nut.
4) Then take a light colored paint pen, or a piece of duck tape, and mark the 6 o'clock position on the adjuster plate to use as a reference point when doing your adjustment. Don't worry if they're not in exactly the same position on both shocks. Thats normal.

Now your ready to adjust the shocks to your weight/load.

5) With the spanner wrench, turn the adjuster plate clockwise no more then 4 complete turns by counting how many times the mark from step 4 crosses the 6 o'clock position. 0 turns is the stiffest setting, and 4 turns is the softest setting.
6) While holding the adjuster plate in place with the spanner wrench, tighten the jam nut up against the adjuster plate by turning the nut clockwise.
6) Now repeat the exact same process on the other shock. The key is to adjust both shocks equally.

The general rule of thumb I use is:
4 turns for load

 

and then (at the end) locking up the Lock Nut in front of the shocks themselves, right? Thanks for that. Very helpful. Any idea what the factory Default is for the setting?

Also, I'd think that 0 turns is the stiffest setting, and 4 turns is the softest setting.

Depends on where you're starting from, right?

 

I believe the factory setting is for the the lightest weight of rider.

 

I should have proof read the copy and paste closer. The jam nut is 1-1/16" NOT 1-11/16"

corrected in my above post in red.

Here is the adjustment that was cut off original post at bottom:

The general rule of thumb I use is:
4 turns for load

 

you don't need to jack the bike up or have the rear wheel off the ground.

The standard height suspension allows enough (just) clearance to adjust on the side stand. I often use to take my son as a passenger on my fatboy, until he got his own bike licence, in the end I just left the suspension on maximum, 5 turns out, because it was such a bitch of a job to keep adjusting. Handled better like that solo in any case, and it doesn't make the springs any harder, contrary to popular belief, it just preloads them so that for a specific amount of sag you need more weight.

I never take anyone passenger on my softail now, ever, but then I don't like passengers at all, probably coz I'm a grumpy old bastard.