Lowering FXDB (Need Help)
Harley Shocks & Harley Chassis IssuesDiscuss Lowering FXDB (Need Help) in the Harley Tech & Harley How-to forums; I'm trying to lower my 08' Street Bob. If I cut my rear shocks 1", it will lower the bike 1 1/2". How much do I cut to lower the ...
I'm trying to lower my 08' Street Bob. If I cut my rear shocks 1", it will lower the bike 1 1/2". How much do I cut to lower the bike 2"? Yes, I know I don't have much travel to work with to begin with. But I only weigh 120lbs and only 5' tall. Thanks for the help.
Cut one inch and it lowers it 1 1/2 ?? How? Where do you loose the other Half inch? Where are you cutting? Are you welding on any material after the cut? Have you counted on your weight on the shock plus the cut?
What about the front end? You wanna lower that also?
2 inches off a bob! Man I dunno if I would take a full 2. Take it easy in the turns.
Concur with JC. An FXDB is already really low. Take two inches off and you'll bottom out on a pebble. If it's a problem with dangling feet, I'd start by changing out the seat and then see how much I really needed to play with the shocks.
Do not cut the shocks!!!!!!! And by all means do not buy one of those aftermarket lowering kits [brackets]!!!!!! JCOURNEYAP it is possible to lower your bike a specific distance and the actual distance be greater! Stock length on my Superglide is 12 5/8 in. eye to eye and the shocks i purchased were 12 in. eye to eye so one would think that i was only lowering my bike 5/8 in. Not so! If my shocks ran straight up and down then that would be the case but remember your shocks are on an angle! So now not only are your shocks 5/8 in. shorter your frame now has to come down to meet the shocks so in reality i just lowered my bike approximately .950. And Shorty if you plan on lowering just the rear of your bike you don't want to lower it more than one in. total. Lowering it more than one in.? Do both the front and rear together. Like BlueBob said you may want to start with the seat first.
You are correct. You can gain or loose a tad because of the Angle. I myself would not cut a shock either. I'd get new per size needed. The lowering kit brackets are not a good idea. . Something tells me Shorty may have already used the torch.
Now I ponder If I would change both front and back. I would do the back and take it for a ride. If it feels good and tight you may want to leave it. With the front up a tad it will give you a little more clearance on some cornering.
Dude, this is all good advice. I've never lowered anything, but to keep the geometry correct you MUST lower front and rear the same amount. Just how it is.
Having said that, does anyone know if he can flip the swing arm to lower, then install shortened fork springs? I'm pretty sure I'd heard of this being done on some FL'S. I know, this ain't an FL, but...
The seat is a much better starting point, for sure.
94, you are correct in that if you want to keep the geometry that the factory built into your bike you should lower front and the rear. But there are times that you can actually improve the geometry of your bike by just lowering the rear as long as you keep it 1 inch or less total. When i only lowered the the rear of my Superglide which stock has a 28 degree rake i increased the rake angle approximately 1 to 1-1/2 degrees and the handling was greatly improved.
Lowering FXDB (Need Help) 
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