How to make rear shocks stiffer

[Norrimichlson]

Hey friends,

I just installed 11.5 shocks on my 80s FL along with the early style round swingarm. Looks perfect but as soon is i hop on they Compress about an inch. I weigh in at 200 lbs.

The shocks are progressive and i already set them as hard as they go still droping an inch.

How can i make them stiffer, honestly i don't want them to move at all when i hop on. My old 10.5 along with the late style box swingarm didn't move at all and i cant imaginean additional inch makes them this soft.

I thougt about dropping in some washers the size of the springs so that there is more tention to begin with.

What do you think

Thanks guys

[Sky]

Shimming the spring(s) won't do much. Accept shorten the stroke length.
Maybe move the top shock mount. Should have two holes in the fender rail stubs to choose from.
Could also try flipping the swingarm.
Or return those progressives for a longer set.

[Guest]

what make & type are the shocks you have ?
I found most shocks out there for Harleys are not that good, just a generic shock without any way to adjust & set where you want,
I had a set of fully adustable gas shocks made bespoke to my needs in length, type of riding, what fittings, Rider weight etc,
by 'The Shock Factory' an English company run by an ex road race champion by the name of Mike Capon, at his French factory,
delivered a year ago he took 8 days from order to delivery & they are as good as Ohlins at over $2000, but for about $420,
before I had a set of 'Progressive Susspension' shocks & to be honest, they were useless & a waste of money.
check out their site here...... https://shock-factory.co.uk/content/...-shock-factory
& these are them fitted,.. they honestly made it the best handling Harley now that I have ever ridden, It's now like on rails & I'm about 230lbs without any drop when I get on, ...

[Norrimichlson]

yeah mine are from progressive suspension aswell, i will try to macgyver something out of them, if that doesnt work i will need to look for other ones

[Norrimichlson]

shortening the troke lenght would be exactly what i want, since the problem is that it drops to much, or did i get something wrong?

[Norrimichlson]

quick update i double checked them and it turnes out the one on the right goes butter smooth and makes a funny sound. Also you can make the whole thing swing back and forth if you rock it rhythmic on the right, which indicates to me, that it is broken somehow. The left one is stiff af you can't really make the whole thing wobble by applying force rhythmicly.

So i guess the whole thing runs on one and a half shocks at best, since when the right one gives out, there isn't much the left one can do.

I will return them shortly, sorry guys and thanks for the answers anyways....