Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Accessories Shock swap help?

I ordered a set of 430 progressive shocks in 11.5 length and weight that was closest in application for the 08 america. They are intended for the current HD sportsters. My question is more of a confirmation from those that have done similair rear shock swaps.

Do I just need to use the hardware from my factory shocks?

Do I need to swap the rubber bushings from the factory shocks and press them into the new shocks?

Do I need to use spacers?

Or am I a moron and will be selling these on ebay some time soon?

11.5 is one inch shorter than stock. Not a problem. Your bike will be lowered now. You can get 1" lower front springs from progressive to level it out. It looks cool, but if you have long pipes you may drag them in sharp turns. Why did you decide to go with Harley shocks? Get a good deal? Just wondering, because progressive makes shocks for our bikes. Not sure whether the bushings/sleeves from the new shocks will fit or not. Mine came with 3 sleeves of different thickness, just matched up whichever one fit. Not sure with harley if that will be the case.

You will definitely need to use the bushings/sleeves that come with your new shocks (or new bushings/sleeves) since the ones with your stock shocks are in there permanently. And when you pull your stock shocks, be careful not to damage them if you ever plan on re-using your stock shocks again, you can't order replacement bushings/sleeves for them, you would have to order a new set of shocks.

Hopefully the spacers that come with the shocks will fit otherwise, you may have to make a few trips to the hardware store. Your oem bolts should work just fine. I put a drop of loctite on mine just for a safe precaution. Not the permanent stuff.

Good advice. One of my bolts backed out shortly after my swap to Progressive 440's, almost lost it.

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Hopefully the spacers that come with the shocks will fit otherwise, you may have to make a few trips to the hardware store. Your oem bolts should work just fine. I put a drop of loctite on mine just for a safe precaution. Not the permanent stuff.

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Okay here is the update...

Installed the 430's (PN# 1310-0412) these were the standard duty spring rate 11.5" for sportster models.

I needed to "sleeve" the new shocks to fit the mounting posts on my bike as they were slightly loose and the kit that was suplied did not fit the posts. What I ended up using was some copper tubing 1/2" from the plumbing dept at the local big box hardware store and tapping them onto the factory posts (actually worked great just had to be a little carefull with a block of wood to not deform the copper, bt I bought a 8" piece and cut the 4 sleeves to size myself incase there was a problem and its only a couple of bucks for the tube).

Great news! I got them mounted on the bike and it that is all about it with the great.

The problem... shocks are sooo soft that I practicaly was sitting on the bump stops, factory sends them adjusted to soft setting. I completly adjusted them to there firm setting and they don't bottom out now just sitting on the bike, but after a little bit of a ride they bottom out on te bump stops over expansion joints and big bumps in the road. They ride awesome on avg road conditions but I also just got the seat back from a treatment at mean city cycles, so between the two as long as the road decent my backside was in heaven. However, this absoultly won't be able to do 2 up on this set-up. So, while they look great on the bike, these won't work out for me.

Talked with progression today, suggested that I get the heavy duty springs and give that a try. Thinking that may be a Dyna shock may be better suited but now I need to check the spring rates from what our factory shocks were and compare them to the options of keeping the ones I got now and swaping out the coils to heavy duty or going to standard duty dyna.

Any thoughts or knowledge that may be of aid? Seems I should have done more homework on the spring rates other than the bkes weigh roughly close to the same.

The spring rates from Progessive tech support:

08 Triumph America 412 11.5" length
125/170
* had to use 412 as they don't offer the 430 remember should be the same though, right???

07 up HD sportsters 430 11.5" length
90/130 Standard duty
115/155 Heavy duty


Current Dyna 430 11.5"
270/300 Standard duty


So as of only armed with this information I am leaning with the HD coils and adjust them up to get the best chance at 2 up?

I have to hold out faith that someone at sometime has swapped out shocks that weren't the original equipment or specificaly manufactured for the speedmaster or america over the years and had success, right?

Sending shocks to Progressive to have springs changed. Possible bonus, customer service rep added a note for customer requested a spring rate of 125/170 to be installed... We'll see if this will be able to happen as he didn't know if the springs diameters were the same.