Are you wishing you could build a rigid chopper using your Harley Softail, inexpensively, and without having to get a whole new frame? Well, your wishes have been answered!
Lowbrow Customs' Rigid Strut Kit for 1984-1999 Harley-Davidson Softails can take your dreams to reality in no time at all by deleting that rear suspension with no fabrication needed and just a few hand tools.
WATCH VIDEO: REAR SUSPENSION DELETE KIT ON 1984-1999 HARLEY SOFTAIL
In this 15-minute video Tim Fiorucci walks you through how easy it is to install our new Rear Suspension Delete Kit for Harley-Davidson Softails. Learn how you can make your Softail a rigid-framed motorcycle... your bike is just waiting to become a killer chopper!
WHAT COMES IN THE KIT?
This kit is fully made in the USA.
• qty 2 - Tig Welded Steel Struts
• qty 4 - Grade 8 Hardened Bolts & Washers
• qty 2 - Rubber Bumpers
• qty 2 - Aluminum Stops
• qty 2 - 1/4" Allen bolts with washers
• qty 2 - 1/4" Hex head bolts
• qty 16 - Shims
You are going to get two black powdercoated, TIG-welded, steel struts.
There are 4 Grade 8 hardened bolts and washers for the struts to replace your stock hardware.
2 rubber bumpers with 1/4" hex head bolts.
2 Aluminum Stops, 16 shims, 2 1/4 Allen head bolts and spacers.
HOW TO INSTALL RIGID STRUTS ON 1984-99 HARLEY SOFTAIL IN 5 EASY STEPS
STEP 1: Remove stock shocks and bumpers.
You will no longer be using the stock shocks, stock bumpers, and any of the hardware that exists with it, so take them off and throw them in your parts box. The stock shocks on a Softail are located underneath the transmission. The bumpers are located underneath the rear seat frame rail, and in between the fender and oil tank.
Here's a bird eye view of where the stock shocks are located. We have the transmission removed so you can see this job easily.
This is what the stock bumpers are located. Move to the left of the bike in the same spot for the other one. Remove both of these bumpers. We have the fender and oil tank off so that you can see this easily.
STEP 2: Install the right strut loosely.
Using a flat jack to help line up the swing arm with the rear mounting locations. Loosely install one of the struts into place. Use Blue Loctite on the rear mounting location. You will use it on the front at the end of assmebly.
Getting ready to install one of the struts onto the right side of the motorcycle.
Using a flat jack you can see, when moving it up or down, will help align your rear mounting holes.
Once aligned you should be able to hand tighten your grade 8 bolts into the strut and mounting locations.
STEP 3: Preparing bumper and determining how man shims you will need.
First you will take the 1/4 hex head bolts and put some blue Loctite on the threads. Use these bolts to secure the rubber bumpers to the aluminum stops. These rubber bumpers are slightly adjustable. The more you crank down the more the rubber will squish. Try to keep your adjustments for each equal.
Remember to use Blue Loctite and securely fasten the rubber bumpers to the aluminum stops.
Next you will take this bumper and slide it into where the stock bumper was removed. Start sliding shims in between the aluminum stop and the frame rail mounting location until you can't get anymore to fit. Use the Allen Bolt with washer on the outside of the mounting hole and secure the shims with the bumper to the frame.
Once tightened down, feel if there is play back and forth and up and down on the bumper, if it is moving a bunch you need to take it out and add another shim. (learn in next step how to add another when it feels like no more shims can fit)
Slide the bumper into position behind the frame rail where the stock bumper was removed. Slide as many shims as you can in between the aluminum stop and frame rail. Use the allen bolt and washer to secure the bumper. In this case we were able to get three shims in.
Tighten down the allen bolt fully.
Feel for a wiggle in the bumper. If there is a lot of movement, you are going to need to add another shim. in our case it was moving quite a bit when fully tightened down.
STEP 4: Making room for another shim if needed.
Though it may feel like you can't fit anymore shims in place, there is another way to do so. On the front strut mounting hole remove the bolt, leave the rear mounting bolt installed. Then with your flat jack raise the frame up allowing the swing arm to move away from the bumper.
Remove the bumper and add the extra shim and reinstall. Because you figured out how many you needed with this stack up do the other side. Securely fasten both bumpers to the frame (remember to use Blue Loctite on the 2 allen bolts).
Next, lower the bike back down using the flat jack until the swing arm is fully being stopped by the bumpers. Your front strut holes should line up perfectly.
Remove the front strut mounting bolt, leave the rear mounting bolt in place and raise the bike up on the flat jack so the swing arm lowers away from the bumper.
We had 3 shims at first, so we needed to add a 4th. (Note, every bike is different, just because we used 4 doesn't mean your bike will need 4. Also each bumper stack up could be different. Be sure to feel and make sure there is no play on each bumper)
Our bike worked with 4 shims on both bumpers. Here is installing the left bumper.
Top is the bike raised up on the flat jack and the swing arm is away from the bumpers. The lower image is of the bike lowered down and fully off the flat jack, showing the bumpers fully engaged in to the swing arm.
STEP 5: Fully install the struts.
Remembering to use Blue Loctite, secure the front bolt that was removed from the right strut. Next install the left side strut. Torque to specs in your workshop manual. Once both struts are fully installed you can loosen the bumpers one last time to make sure there is no extreme play left, right, up, or down. If they check out, tighten them up and you are good to go everything is engaging properly.
Congrats your Softail is now a rigid motorcycle and you are one step closer to having a killer chopper!
Reinstalling the front strut bolt on the right side. Use Blue Loctite!
Install the left strut. Use Blue loctite on the bolts.
Again everything should be lined up at this point and you can hand tighten the bolts first. Be sure to torque them down to recommended specs from your work shop manual.
Bumpers fully engaged, and no play.
Both struts fully torqued down!
You are now one step closer to having a sick chopper!
With the bike being rigid, if you lopped off those fender struts up top(covered by the red rag) your rear section would look like this!
Rigid Strut Kit for Softails, installed and complete... ENJOY!
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