i took a piece of 1"x1"x12" angle iron and cut a slot on 1 side that fits the rod. slid the angle iron into the spring and compressed the sping enough to remove/install the nut. my wife threaded the nut on or off.

 

I clamped the fork tube in a vice horizontally with soft jaws.Then my buddy compressed the nut and spring with a 2x4 while I tightened the nut. 07 flhx Yes my special tool was 4 arms and a 2x4.

 

well here in the midwest we can always go to the local machine shop and throw down 5-10.00 and have the guy help us use his press to put it togather..
and if it's the right guy a good harley story and it's free

 

Thanks guys. I'm going to go ahead and buy the tool from Race Tech, $200, better than $300.Let me know if you need to borrow it.

 

May have to take you up on that I plan on swapping out my left cartride type guts for the conventional spring style and adding the '01 air tube fitting caps for easy fork oil changes.

 

We've done 3 sets with this method....'05 and 2-'06....piece of $200 cake

 

I can't picture how that would work with a damper cartridge style fork, a conventional fork , yes

 

That might work removing the fork caps, but you still have to unload the spring. The adapter (part of the tool) slips into the spring and then you compress the spring, then you remove the nut and clip and remove the spring..

 

Sometimes, the right tool is the best method. IMO

 

I bought the compressing tool, but didn't need it. Turns out my forks are the kind you can "muscle" back together. No compressing tool needed. Now I need to return that unused $200 specialty tool. I have the chrome lowers on one side so far, and it looks great!