How to remove/install a Harley shock cover?

[SuprltvCnspircy]

Looking for some help/tips to best remove a shock cover to use on another bike? These are stock shovelhead touring shocks and I am wanting to run the covers on my dyna. I know that I need to compress the springs and remove the tension, however I'm not sure how to best do this without access to the spring itself.

Photos for reference below.




Thanks!

[TriNortchopz]

Found this:

"Normaly to remove these covers you have to set the spring at its lowest tension, compress the spring and remove the collets from the top of the shock that fit inside the chrome cover, if your shock has no collets you will have to push down on the chrome cover to gain accsess to the lock nut securing the mounting eye to the shock on the damper rod, slacken this and the top will unsrew from the shock alowing removal of the chrome shroud "

[BuddhahoodVato]

Your display shows two different shocks, did u get with the manual.

[MOTher]

The covers may or may not adapt to your Dyna shocks. Some careful measuring might tell you before you get started.

You can make a quickie shock spring compression tool with a couple of old 4 speed big twin clutch friction plates and some 1/2" allthread rod and nuts. Put duct tape on the center hole of the clutch plate to keep from scratching the chrome on the covers.

[7and7is]

Or; could you just swap the shocks?

[RustInPeace]

I made something like this, but used square stock and welded it to my bench:

https://youtu.be/cdD39VqGDtw

[SuprltvCnspircy]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all the help! I double checked that the covers would fit before going to all the trouble. I also wanted to switch them because the other set were a lot older and the bushings were toast. I ended up using my press much like the link in the last video, just flipped the shock upside down. Very happy with how they turned out, just need the round caps for the tops and I'm set.