Softail preload rear shock adjustment
#22
10-11-2007, 12:23 PM
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#23
10-11-2007, 12:31 PM
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#24
10-11-2007, 12:36 PM
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RE: Softail preload rear shock adjustment
I adjusted mine as well andleft about 2.5 threads to go. Best ride improvement I could have made. I'm 6 feet tall about 200 pounds all suited up. Feels more stable at speed and it seems I'm in better control during slow parking lot maneuvers. Adjusting the shocks is a PITA though. Sure wish the Fat Boy had a remote located preload adjuster. I miss that on this bike versus the other bikes I have inmy stall.
Good thread!
Good thread!
#25
10-11-2007, 01:40 PM
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RE: Softail preload rear shock adjustment
Your right, it would be nice if there was a remoteway of adjusting the shocks, maybe with air. The least they could do is give you the 2 wrenches required to adjust the shocks, not locktite the retainer nut in place and preset them at the dealer, to your requirements.
Tom
Tom
#26
10-11-2007, 09:45 PM
RE: Softail preload rear shock adjustment
Ok, I'm willing to take a lot of feedback on this but I believe the Preload adjustment for the rear shocks is not what everyone thinks. The shocks don't stiffen with a tighter setting or loosen with a slacker setting.
The spring in the shock is going to be at the constant rate and the valves will allow the shock to compress and rebound at the factory set rate. Changing the spring rate or the valving will "stiffen" or "loosen" a shock, the preload does not change it.
When you adjust the rear shocks on the Softail it lengthens or shortens the overall shock. By letting out a couple threads it lengthens the shock and allows the bike to sit lower to the ground. The opposite is true, less threads the higher it sits.
To properly set up the bike for just the rider or the rider and a passenger, you'll need a couple friends to really set it up correctly. The main idea behind this is to set the shock in the middle of the range of motion.
Your FULL weight must be on the bike. You'll need a friend to hold the bike steady in front of the fork while the rider gets on the bike and gets into a normal riding position with their feet on the pegs and off the ground. While the rider is carefully balancing the bike and is being supported by friend #1, friend #2 needs to see if the swing arm and the frame line up near the swing arm pivot (I'm sure there is a name for that part but I cannot think of it for the life of me). If the swing-arm is to "high" the shock will need to be shortened to bring the swing-arm down and line up with the frame. This will "tighten" up the suspension as some people say.
I'm 165 lbs and the shock is as "loose" as it will go and just barely in the swing-arm neutral position. You can also do it the easier way like I did. Get in a parking lot and cruise at a slow speed. Feel where the swing-arm and the Frame overlap and see if the swing-arm is displaced from directly under the frame.
All in all the preload setting on these just change the ride height.
The spring in the shock is going to be at the constant rate and the valves will allow the shock to compress and rebound at the factory set rate. Changing the spring rate or the valving will "stiffen" or "loosen" a shock, the preload does not change it.
When you adjust the rear shocks on the Softail it lengthens or shortens the overall shock. By letting out a couple threads it lengthens the shock and allows the bike to sit lower to the ground. The opposite is true, less threads the higher it sits.
To properly set up the bike for just the rider or the rider and a passenger, you'll need a couple friends to really set it up correctly. The main idea behind this is to set the shock in the middle of the range of motion.
Your FULL weight must be on the bike. You'll need a friend to hold the bike steady in front of the fork while the rider gets on the bike and gets into a normal riding position with their feet on the pegs and off the ground. While the rider is carefully balancing the bike and is being supported by friend #1, friend #2 needs to see if the swing arm and the frame line up near the swing arm pivot (I'm sure there is a name for that part but I cannot think of it for the life of me). If the swing-arm is to "high" the shock will need to be shortened to bring the swing-arm down and line up with the frame. This will "tighten" up the suspension as some people say.
I'm 165 lbs and the shock is as "loose" as it will go and just barely in the swing-arm neutral position. You can also do it the easier way like I did. Get in a parking lot and cruise at a slow speed. Feel where the swing-arm and the Frame overlap and see if the swing-arm is displaced from directly under the frame.
All in all the preload setting on these just change the ride height.
#27
10-11-2007, 10:21 PM
Elite HDF Member
RE: Softail preload rear shock adjustment
You might read this.there is nomention of raising or lowering the bike. When you blow up picture 2. It looks to me thatloosening the retention nut and then adjusting the shock body, would not make any difference to the measurement between the attach points of the shock. I could see if you had to take either attach point of the shock loose and make your adjustment at the end, that would alter the overall length of the shock, which in turn would alter the ride height.
Tom
http://www.fatbillscustoms.com/preload%20shocks.htm
Tom
Tom
http://www.fatbillscustoms.com/preload%20shocks.htm
Tom
#29
10-11-2007, 11:09 PM
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RE: Softail preload rear shock adjustment
ORIGINAL: brycharz
Ok, I'm willing to take a lot of feedback on this but I believe the Preload adjustment for the rear shocks is not what everyone thinks. The shocks don't stiffen with a tighter setting or loosen with a slacker setting.
The spring in the shock is going to be at the constant rate and the valves will allow the shock to compress and rebound at the factory set rate. Changing the spring rate or the valving will "stiffen" or "loosen" a shock, the preload does not change it.
When you adjust the rear shocks on the Softail it lengthens or shortens the overall shock. By letting out a couple threads it lengthens the shock and allows the bike to sit lower to the ground. The opposite is true, less threads the higher it sits.
To properly set up the bike for just the rider or the rider and a passenger, you'll need a couple friends to really set it up correctly. The main idea behind this is to set the shock in the middle of the range of motion.
Your FULL weight must be on the bike. You'll need a friend to hold the bike steady in front of the fork while the rider gets on the bike and gets into a normal riding position with their feet on the pegs and off the ground. While the rider is carefully balancing the bike and is being supported by friend #1, friend #2 needs to see if the swing arm and the frame line up near the swing arm pivot (I'm sure there is a name for that part but I cannot think of it for the life of me). If the swing-arm is to "high" the shock will need to be shortened to bring the swing-arm down and line up with the frame. This will "tighten" up the suspension as some people say.
I'm 165 lbs and the shock is as "loose" as it will go and just barely in the swing-arm neutral position. You can also do it the easier way like I did. Get in a parking lot and cruise at a slow speed. Feel where the swing-arm and the Frame overlap and see if the swing-arm is displaced from directly under the frame.
All in all the preload setting on these just change the ride height.
Ok, I'm willing to take a lot of feedback on this but I believe the Preload adjustment for the rear shocks is not what everyone thinks. The shocks don't stiffen with a tighter setting or loosen with a slacker setting.
The spring in the shock is going to be at the constant rate and the valves will allow the shock to compress and rebound at the factory set rate. Changing the spring rate or the valving will "stiffen" or "loosen" a shock, the preload does not change it.
When you adjust the rear shocks on the Softail it lengthens or shortens the overall shock. By letting out a couple threads it lengthens the shock and allows the bike to sit lower to the ground. The opposite is true, less threads the higher it sits.
To properly set up the bike for just the rider or the rider and a passenger, you'll need a couple friends to really set it up correctly. The main idea behind this is to set the shock in the middle of the range of motion.
Your FULL weight must be on the bike. You'll need a friend to hold the bike steady in front of the fork while the rider gets on the bike and gets into a normal riding position with their feet on the pegs and off the ground. While the rider is carefully balancing the bike and is being supported by friend #1, friend #2 needs to see if the swing arm and the frame line up near the swing arm pivot (I'm sure there is a name for that part but I cannot think of it for the life of me). If the swing-arm is to "high" the shock will need to be shortened to bring the swing-arm down and line up with the frame. This will "tighten" up the suspension as some people say.
I'm 165 lbs and the shock is as "loose" as it will go and just barely in the swing-arm neutral position. You can also do it the easier way like I did. Get in a parking lot and cruise at a slow speed. Feel where the swing-arm and the Frame overlap and see if the swing-arm is displaced from directly under the frame.
All in all the preload setting on these just change the ride height.
"Shock Absorbers: Softail Models . . .
2a) Turning the adjuster plates out (toward locknut) increases the spring preload to carry a heavier load.
2b) Turning the adjuster plates in (away from the locknut) decreases the spring preload to carry alighter load."
- No mention of ride heights.
My recent experience fully supports what HD and others in this post are stating.
-stef
#30
10-12-2007, 05:41 AM
RE: Softail preload rear shock adjustment
ORIGINAL: tmitchellof PG
You might read this. there is no mention of raising or lowering the bike. When you blow up picture 2. It looks to me that loosening the retention nut and then adjusting the shock body, would not make any difference to the measurement between the attach points of the shock. I could see if you had to take either attach point of the shock loose and make your adjustment at the end, that would alter the overall length of the shock, which in turn would alter the ride height.
Tom
http://www.fatbillscustoms.com/preload%20shocks.htm
Tom
You might read this. there is no mention of raising or lowering the bike. When you blow up picture 2. It looks to me that loosening the retention nut and then adjusting the shock body, would not make any difference to the measurement between the attach points of the shock. I could see if you had to take either attach point of the shock loose and make your adjustment at the end, that would alter the overall length of the shock, which in turn would alter the ride height.
Tom
http://www.fatbillscustoms.com/preload%20shocks.htm
Tom
I had looked at the fatbillscustoms page and thats one reason I wrote what I did. The rendition in picture 2 is incorrect, to compress the spring you must load it with more weight. Adjusting the nut in and out only lengthens and shortens the distance between the two mounting points. Check out the lowering kit by HD in the link below....all it does is allow the shock to be adjusted to a length beyond what the stock components allow which in turn allows the swing-arm cage to pivot higher and lower the rear end of the bike.
http://www.harley-davidson.com/gma/g...bmLocale=en_US
" I could see if you had to take either attach point of the shock loose and make your adjustment at the end, that would alter the overall length of the shock, which in turn would alter the ride height." Like a turnbuckle, Right??
In fact, Tom, the shock housing rotates around the mounted stem and the threaded adjustment. When you rotate the shock body it chokes up or lets out on those threads and the overall length shortens or gets longer. It does do what you said, take a closer look when you have the chance and you'll see what I'm talking about.