Softail Shocks

[quiticokid]

A couple of years ago I installed new progressive shocks on my 97 softail as the old ones were worn out. I extended them as much as possible to help take up the belt slack and a little at a time turned in the ajustment on them. problem is that even with only my 185 pounds they still bottom out on bumps and the bike rocks slightly. Is this normal, if not what kind of shocks do you recommend?

 

[TripleJ]

You say that you have the shocks extended as much as possible but it is just the opposite to stiffen the shocks up (at least it is on the stock shocks - never used the progressives but can't imagine they would be different). The less thread you have showing on the adjuster the stiffer the ride will be.

 

[glider]

A couple of years ago I installed new progressive shocks on my 97 softail as the old ones were worn out. I extended them as much as possible to help take up the belt slack and a little at a time turned in the ajustment on them. problem is that even with only my 185 pounds they still bottom out on bumps and the bike rocks slightly. Is this normal, if not what kind of shocks do you recommend?

Like TripleJ said, extending the shocks is the wrong direction to go, you should shorten the shock for more available wheel travel before bottoming out. You are essentially removing the travel and probably why they are bottoming out. Besides that's not the way to adjust the belt. Use the adjusters on the swing arm for adjusting the belt.