Suspension upgrades/maintenance

[Backroad Mike]

I put off some front end maintenance longer than it probably should have been. Looking at suspension upgrades is like asking which oil is best.

Ohlin's are likely the gold standard, but damn they must be made of it too.
I've had the progressive cartridges in there much longer than the 50k they are intended. I finally decided to install the legend Axeo standard length.

[Backroad Mike]

Here is the side by side of the new Legend Axeo's and the progressive.

The collar on top (actually the bottom) of the spring is the adjuster. Instructions clearly state how man turns needed before locking down the set screw for the rider weight + gear. They don't recommend adding weight for a passenger as most of that weight is displaced over the rear shocks.

[Backroad Mike]

Since I was replacing the cartridges, I went ahead and bought the fork rebuild kit with seals and bushings. As I wasn't replacing the stock stuff, the O-rings in the rebuild kit didn't get used (not needed).

The bolt in the bottom of the lower fork is a 6 mm and you need a long shank. I had to hunt around many parts stores in the area before I found a 3/8" socket with 6 mm hex long reach. It was in a kit of 4 sizes at Pep Boys for $ 11.00. Another store had a similar set but wanted $ 72.00 Removing this bolt is best done with an impact gun. Don't waste your time trying with a hex wrench or ratchet. Remove the drain plug and dump the nasty old oil in your recycle can before you take out the bottom bolt too. You'll have less mess.

Word of warning. Even though you have researched Ronnie's Microfiche parts finder and you know what your after, that doesn't mean the part at the Harley store is labeled correctly, or that the new person on the counter grabbed the right box off the shelf. When I first open the box for assembly, I noticed the bushing were not the 41 mm for my bike. They were the 49 mm size. Damn. I called and the Harley store to explain and they had the right boxes on the counter when I walked in. They were very apologetic.

Also, follow the proper steps for re-assembly. I was cooking along pretty good until I went to put the slider with it's new lower bushing installed into the lower fork. I had already installed the new bushing in the lower, so the slider will not pass through if you've done this. I didn't have the proper tool to try and remove the bushing, and since it's got a break in it, I used a small steel chisel to drive down between the bushing and the housing. I wasted this bushing, so it was off to the Harley store for a replacement. See the pic below of the one i had to remove...

I called the Harley store with the part number and they had it in a baggy on the counter with a grease pencil number when I arrived. One look and i knew it was wrong. It was the bushing for the lower slider tube. It took some explanation until the senior parts guy came out front. He was much more knowledgeable and understanding. He agreed it was miss marked and went to find the right one. Ended up they didn't have it, but he broke down a full kit and sole me the individual part and will order a replacement through HD.

[Backroad Mike]

As I stated in the earlier post, the bushing in top of the lower fork assembly can't be installed until you have installed the slider tube assembly. In order to drive the bushing in place, slide it down over the slider, then use the steel spacer (washer) on top of it as a driving force. I used a 2" pvc tube slit down one side so I could spread it apart and down over the slider to push against the washer and drive the bushing in place. After that, remove the pvc, install the seal and spring clip in place and your done.

PSA.. Separate your old and new parts. After finishing the second fork I was shocked to see a new seal laying there in my parts. I had incorrectly reinstalled the used seal as it was looking pretty good. That was another hour fixing.

When pouring the fork oil before screwing in the slider cap, I used a small cup from one of our old prescriptions. It was a 30 mm cup with measured increments at each 5 mm. using this it was easy to put in exactly the right amount of ounces as 1 oz = 29.5 mm. 3.5 oz is what these require and the kit comes with enough for probably a fluid change at some time in the future. Take your time pouring in the fluid, it's a tedious slow process and has to be worked in carefully or it will burp out the top. Have a roll of paper towels handy.

[Backroad Mike]

Since the front end was mostly disassembled for this operation, I took the opportunity to strip it down and do some steering head maintenance.

[Backroad Mike]

Here is the upper steering head bearing race, and the old bearing next to the new bearing/race kit. You can see the discoloration in the steel. When I lifted the bike of the ground, I could feel play in the bearings, so it was time to replace. The bearing kit comes with a new race included. Based on my previous bushing issues, I had a couple extras. Removing the race was difficult. I remember years ago when I replace them on the 05 what a PITA it was with the right tool. I still don't have the right tool so I improvised. I don't recommend my method, but as I was not wanting to wait 7-10 more days for the tool to arrive, I moved on. I did watch some YouTube videos where they weld three short lines in the race and as the weld cools it pulls in the race and it can be easily removed. Problem is, I don't have a welder. I've also been told there is a way to carefully cut them with a Dremel tool, but I didn't use that either. My method was more crude, but effective. A short reach right angle nail puller carefully set behind the lip of the race and alternated each side until they were removed. Installation was a little more difficult without a race driver. I chilled the races in the freezer overnight and used the old race as a sacrificial element with a large plate washer on top with a threaded rod through the triple tree with another washer on the bottom and slowly tightened the bolts on the threaded rod until they were seated.

[Backroad Mike]

The re-assembly went fairly straight forward, but I did have two setback's there too.

First, I didn't get the front brake harness assembly situated quite right while installing the tree and had to take one shock assembly back out to correct that. Then as I had moved some things around, the Cow bells got left on a different table and not installed.
Had to take front wheel, both shock assemblies, wiring harnesses and radio back out. Double

Then the ignition switch wanted to act up, and the radio wouldn't power on.
Not sure what the problem with the ignition switch was, but it's working now, and the radio power issue was an accessory fuse in the fuse panel.

As I had to remove the Hydraulic Clutch line to remove the inner fairing, I took this opportunity to bleed it down and replace that fluid. I used the push in the new from the bleed screw at the bottom method learned from YouTube. You can buy an expensive pump system, or do what I did. I found a 60 mm plastic syringe for horses at the hardware store and a 5/16 inside diameter tube fit perfectly into the end of it, and over the bleeder screw. The syringe also was useful to suck out the old fluid from the reservoir before pumping the new in from the bottom. Worked quite well and very economical. 2 sizes of tubing, as I wasn't sure which would work, and the syringe were less than 5 bucks.

Completed a 135 mile shakedown this afternoon to a project side and everything worked.

[Scabbydoo]

Hey Mike, after reading the above all I want to know is.....

you want to try some of my cognitive support supplements?

[Fe Butte]

That is quite the time consuming job.


But well done.

[fxr4mikey]

Whew !!!!

MTMM -- Mike the Mad Mechanic !!!!

WTG Mike !!! Good Job !!!

I am sure you were just a wee bit frustrated with a couple of those DUH moments, but now you can look back and Laugh at them, and THANKS for informing the rest of US !

[Backroad Mike]

Originally Posted by Scabbydoo

Hey Mike, after reading the above all I want to know is.....

you want to try some of my cognitive support supplements?

No, just momentary brain farts. No supplements needed. Couple times I just walked away to clear my head and rest verses trying to push on and have additional missteps.

[fxr4mikey]

Hey .... you

We need a Ride/Handling report and a comparison to the old progressives that were on there ......

[Backroad Mike]

Originally Posted by fxr4mikey

Hey .... you

We need a Ride/Handling report and a comparison to the old progressives that were on there ......

So, there is more road feedback and was stated in the installation instructions. NO front end dive to speak of when breaking. Most of my riding yesterday was point A to B, highway, and 4 lanes mostly. No long stretches of left/right sweepers like riding into WV.
I didn't experience anything unusual, or unexpected. The progressives were worn out and way past the 50K replacement recommendation. The were getting soft and had quite a bit of brake dive. I did hit one rather deep pothole yesterday and had no ill effects, so that was good.

I will say, that i don't think I'm liking these Metzeler Cruisetec tires. They just don't feel smooth and didn't with the progressives either. I think Avon's may be my next experiment. I like the Dunlop E3's, but the front tire always has a terrible cupping issue before it gets worn out.

[fxr4mikey]

OK, so yur saying ..... more miles, like in WV are required for FULL testing

As you know I have the Ohlins (Öhlins FKC 100 series Fork Cartridge Kit) on the ultra (I had contacted Ohlins first, described rider and riding style -- they picked the spring rate for me) ........ I took them over to Big Mike's in Atlanta, we partied on Friday night, put the cartridges in on Saturday and I came home on Sunday.... I like his bulldog lift, and he has experience with changing front ends, until then I had none, now I'm dangerous .... cost .... hum close to $1000.00 or just over, can't remember exactly

and like you noticed with yours, no brake dive .... and it's been some time now since I've had them, but seems like I did a lil report when I first put them on, maybe I'll look for that ......

I also have Ohlins on the rear (HD 159 Harley S36 Twin Shocks) I bought them at Daytona a few years back, they set the spring rate for me and my riding style and set the preload, all installed while I was standing there, and sitting on the bike for preload adjustments .... then they educated me on how to adjust for additional weight and passenger if I was gonna ride two up...... cost .... hummm about $1000.00 iirc ...... they caught me at a weak moment, and Big Mike was there .... me on



Tires .... omg, like oil and suspensions .....

So, I have Avon Venom on the Orange Crush ... REALLY REALLY like them ..
over the years I've tried a lot of different tires on this bike. The Venom's are my favorite of all the ones that I've run.

I have Michelin Commanders on the Ultra, Really like them too.
Seems that I had some other tire that I tried when the stock tires were replaced the first time, but I've been retired for awhile now, and can't seem to remember what they were

[Bone Stockman]

Nice write up Mike.

I ended up selling my Öhlins shocks and going with Pro Action front and rear, $1,300 installed by the manufacturer. Amazing road feel, great ride and handling.

I'm sold on American Elites. I never had a stock rear tire go longer than 7,000 miles. My AEs have about that, and they look new.