Bought some 412s from Dennis Kirk; From my order email: Part #: 583437 Progressive Suspension Chrome 412 Series American-Tuned Gas Shocks w/o Covers - 90/130 Spring Rate (lbs/in) - 412-4068C

These are 12” shocks, stock for my bike would be 11.5 I believe. Wanted a bit of extra travel.

I’m a pretty light guy, approx. 170 lbs. I know I’m lighter than listed weight for these shocks but not by too much I believe. Thing is, these things are like struts. Seriously feels like a hardtail. I can't tell that they compress at all.

And yes, I already know Ohlins are better. I bought what I thought I could afford at the time. My options right now are these or put the stock shocks back on.

Please look at these pics, perhaps I have something installed wrong or maladjusted? Any help appreciated. Have reached out to manufacturer too but find that best advice often comes from other riders instead of manufacturers....

 

They appear to be installed correctly, and set on the lightest preload setting. I do know the 422's can be stiff though. Put some miles on them and see if they break in at all. There are a lot of options out there for shocks, and I know you have already invested in the Progressives, but if you want to try something else that has a softer spring rate, a nice plush ride and won't break the bank, try the Legends Revo's. They are a coilover type shock and use a much longer softer spring. You can dial in the ride height and preload easily without tools. I have used them and really liked them, my HD tech runs them on his FLHR and LOVES them. You can sell your 422's to recoup some of the cost. Unfortunately in the motorcycle world sometimes we have to use the trial and error method...

http://www.legendsuspensions.com/pro...revo-sportster

 

I think they're as broken in as they're going to get. Probably put the stock ones back on for now til I can afford others. Disappointing but oh well.

 

OK, heard back from Progressive. Got a great tech, Jorge Silva, and we bounced pictures back and forth. Shocks were installed WRONG. Spacers in wrong position.

Wrong:



Correct:



Note- correct pic is before torque, that's why it looks that way....

 

Did moving the spacers make a difference?

 

Just got to test it yesterday, yes, huge difference. I'm still too light for perfect operation of the shocks but there's now actually some movement. Very pleased but feel pretty dumb for doing it wrong in the first place.

Progressive tech support was excellent.

 

Did you stroke them too much before installing?

JK, sorry...too easy. Glad you got the setting issue worked out. Ride-on!

 

A while back I bought 944s for my Limited, and had the opposite problem.... too soft. I sent them back to Progressive & they changed out the springs, replaced all the seals, etc.... no charge, even though I was not the original owner. Their customer service is second to none.

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For ROCKOUT information & purchasing please click the LINKS below...

 

Easy mistake. Essentially you locked up your shocks, poor things, so they couldn't compress freely.

Just braggin', but when I installed my Ohlins I offered them up at the top mount, to see how they hung at the bottom mount. Then installed the top bolts and shimmed the bottom before tightening them. Or was it the other ways around.....

 

So were the lower parts of the shocks rubbing the swingarm?