From anyone that has installed the Progressive Mono Tube Cartridges.

My question is whether to remove or not the springy retainer that the stock bottoming cup is inserted into on the bottom of the inside slider tube on the damper fork side. If it is to be removed, how have you taken it out?

In the stock setup the damper fits into the bottoming cup and the bottom 6mm bolt screws up into the damper tube through the bottoming cup. With the the damper tube setup, the bottoming cup is inserted into a springy retainer at the bottom of the inside slider tube. Progressive supplied one bottoming cup and customer is to use the bottoming cup from the damper side of the forks.

And did anyone notice that the bottom cartridge rod would spin in the upper cartridge housing while trying to TQ the bottom screw 12-18 foot lbs per instructions? Mine does, just don't know if that is normal.

I tried calling Progressive Suspension today, July 4th, but no answer.

 

Did this Sat on a buddies bike - 10 Limited. Not sure about a springy retainer below the cup, the 10's only have the cups flat against the inner slider bottom. I would check the service manual (if you have one or access to one).

As far as the spinning of the rod, you have to compress the inner slider until it bottoms. THIS IS A BITATCH!!!!! It took two people and a ratcheting strap on a bench vise! We even tried screwing the monotube into the upper slider and then tightening and still had to compress everything until it wouldnt compress any more.

Sorry I couldnt be more help

 

Had my service manual and parts manual open. No issues for me with installing the cap into the fork slider. With one hand I pulled the inner slider up and with the other hand pressed down on the cap, turning it in with my palm.

Did you have to install the bottoming cups into the bottom of the inner slider? Or could you have put the bottoming cups on the bottom of the cartridge and inserted the cartridge through the top of the inner slider.

With one of my bottoming cups I installed on the end of the cartridge rod and inserted it through the top of the inner slider. The other bottoming cup I had to insert into the bottom of the inner slider as it was pre-fitten into some type of springy insert stopper.

 

The cups never left the sliders. Couldnt get them to come out. One of them was nice enough to stay put, the other bounced around and gave me hell putting it into position.

Make sure that you get the full torque onto the tubes. We were close, but the rod turned at around 9.5 -10 lbs of torque. It wasnt until we got the whole assembly fully compressed that we were able to get the full torque onto the bolt.

 

yup, my cups never left the sliders, I just undid the 6mm bolt, dropped out the damping rod, ran the monotube in with the top out spring on it and that was it.

I final torqued up the 6mm bolt when the forks were back in the bike and held still (the wheel was still off obviously).

 

So obviously you all didn't use the Progressive supplied bottoming cup. With your stock setup did you have two dampers or one damper and one cartridge? I previously ran the Harley Low Profile setup that had one damper and one cartridge.

Appreciate you guys mentioning the rod turning on you too. Thought I might have had a defective cartridge. Progressive suggested an impact wrench to get the bolt TQ to specs.

Last week I talked with a Progressive rep and he said the bottoming cups should be free to fall through the inner slider and for me to punch out the springy retainer that held my one bottoming cup in place. I wanted to post and hear what others had done.

 

Wanted to bring this back up top simply due to the issue of trying to torque the 6mm bolt into the bottom of the monotube. I think I have one done but it sure is tough. I have a 2x4 cut about 3' long with a shallow counter bored hole in the center. I set the top cap into the hole (rags in the hole first) and wrap a ratchet strap around the board and over the bottom of the fork then ratchet it down until it was compressed. Problem now is once you get it tight the whole fork wants to spin and I haven't found a good way to hold it from spinning.

Feels like an accident waiting to happen!

 

It is definitely tricky to say the least. One of the ones we did was fine, the other gave us hell. NO clue to this day why either.

 

sorry to drag this thread up again!! I have exactly the same issue with my 2017 softail. One side worked perfectly, the other side, every time I try to torque up the 6mm bolt, the damper rod spins in the tube. I pulled the whole thing apart again and cleaned it all up a few times, same result. The instructions call for a drop of red loctite on the thread - figured that might be my issue, so once again, stripped it all down and cleaned up the thread and the bolt- same result.
I have tried fully assembling the tube thinking that the pressure would allow it to torque up, but once again, whilst a little better -it just spins. can't get it past about 10 foot pounds.
So, anyone else like to chime in with some thoughts on this please? I do have an impact driver, but not real keen to use it- as can't really control the torque on the bolt (mine only has setting 1, 2, 3 , 4 on it). Also, i see (above) someone else could manage to only torque it when it was all back on the bike - not really keen to do this in case it wont happen. Do you think the tube is stuffed - or just a **** design? Does it really matter if it is not fully torqued up? I mean, if you use loctite thread sealant (rather that red loctite ), and given that the bolt really can't fall out- is it a huge drama? I just can't think any further on this - am out of idea and bike is in pieces

 

Have you tried snugging the bolt with the impact (so the internals will stop spinning) and then torquing the bolt?