I just got me an 08' XL883L.

There is a black piece in the rear shocks, is that the lowering part?

How do I take the lowering stuff off and make it sit a little higher?

Also, I just ordered forward controls and new Z bar's for the bike. How hard is it to get the parts on? Should I be fine with the service manual and patients? What about the brakes?

 

I'm not sure which part your talking about, but I would think your talking about the piece where you adjust the preload. Adjusting the preload does not lower your shocks, it simply makes the shock firmer or softer upon hitting bumps. Or you could be talking about a lowering bracket, which yes, could be taken off to raise the bike up a bit. A picture would really help. To raise the bike, you can simply buy/add longer shocks. Yes, the service manual is a must buy if you plan on doing any work on your machine and will walk you through eveything.