To members


hello


re:


Just found out... While removing the rear shock bolts on a fatboy s....the right side rear bolt requires a special tool...sanp-on sres-24...getting this special tool alone may not be enough to remove the right side bolt out ....


The left side frame bolt came out easy enough ...however on the right side ...the accessibility of tool space seemed so limited. ....and to make the right side bolt removal more difficult... From the head of the bolt ....there is about 1/2 inch space to the motor oil drain hose connection...which is connected to the oil drainage plug just on the under side of the one solid piece cross member frame...


To remove the right side rear shock bolt from the frame...it seems necessary to drain the oil and remove the oil drainage hose and also remove the metal tube extension for the hose to clamp on....


Has any one had this repair situation..... Removing the motor oil hose fitting extension to get the bolt out? ...or any experience just replacing the rear shocks on a fatboy s...


..any information. Will be appreciated...


Ray

 

What does the service manual say?

 

I see you like ...
....
....

So I am still in the process of switching out the factory shocks for a Shotgun Shock, therefore I can only
speak about my experience with a FLS Slim. The right side bolt is indeed "space limited", BUT
there is room for a closed end wrench.

I purchased a cheap (~$9.00) 3/4" open/closed end wrench from AutoZone, cut the open-end off
using a cut-off wheel on a handheld grinder, so I could slide a cheater pipe over the end. I was
able to go through the swingarm (from above the exhaust). You will need to have removed the
plastic splash shield to do this. The cheater pipe on the closed-end wrench allowed me to get
enough torque on the bolt to loosen it. (I had previously heated it and also used PB Blaster)

hth,

T.

 

Maybe the microfiche drawing will help...
The plastic shield referred to above is #24 in the drawing below.





or you can get to it via this link;
http://partsfinder.onlinemicrofiche....&b=36&Action=O

hth,

T.

 

 

Well....getting the right side rear shock bolt out is easier that expected....
Thank you for the information provided...

To remove the shock...it was shorten by maximizing the pre-load setting....still the edge of the shock did not clear the cross member as shown in the attached pic... About 1/8 inch too long ...

The standard shock is about 3/4 inch shorter.... So it will be an easy swap once this low profile ones are out....seems like this existing shock has no other way out but to drop ....there is hardly any space to move around in any directions...

..... Tried to force it out but to no avail..... Even if with the wheel off... The right side may not be able to clear and pass through the surrounding frame work...however the left shock has enough clearance through the back...once tire is off...

.... Does the hd repair manual.....cover this specific shock replacement?

 

To: Hd memb.
Re:

Hello

got the factory low profile shocks removed and replaced with the standard ones......

To maximize the space .... The front end bolts had to be tighten up more and the rear tire had to be in the air pushing the swing arm forward with its drop weight..even then the shocks had to be pushed out by using the leverage of a short length metal bar....

With the replacement...however... Not much improvement in the travel distance of the shocks even with a tighter preload adjustment...
...need to tryout other shocks....looking for ones that don't bottom out so much over bumps and dips.....

Regards...