IRS Installation

[molokaimike]

I posted the removal of the OEM rear suspension under "Bit the Bullet". I'm starting a new thread on the installation of the new IRS rear suspension from IMC. Below is a photo of the swingarm mount that will attach where the OEM swingarm mounts and the IRS unit will attach to it in the slotted holes. I do need a favor from someone, I need to know the measurement from the center of the bottom of the rear frame to the ground. The IRS unit has an adjustment that lets you set the ride height and I'd like to be as close to stock as possible.

 

[Texan]

Interested to know the manufacturer is of this conversion unit. Have had toughts of doing this. Do you have a URL address for the ink you referred to "Bite the bullet" ??

8~\o

 

[molokaimike]

The IRS unit that I'm installing is made by a company called IMC and they are here in Goodyear AZ. Their url is http://www.imctrike.com/. I've been to their shop many times and talked with the owner who took me into the shop where they are made. They are very beefy and well made and are designed to be a plug and play type of installation. The stock Harley wiring harness for the reverse motor plugs into their system so you can use the switch on your handlebars, you can use your stock shocks with their unit and there are no holes to drill to mount the body or anything else. I should be able to pick up my unit either today or tomorrow and get started on the installation. I'll be posting photos on this thread of the installation process.

 

[molokaimike]

I picked up the IRS unit today, now the fun can begin. Below are some photos of the IRS unit and body mount.

 

[molokaimike]

Got the IRS unit installed, the drive belt adjusted and the shocks mounted. I had to reroute the line going from the preload adjuster to the shocks. Next is making all of the wiring connections and connecting the brake lines.

 

[ol' school]

Looks good Mike! Coming along nice!

 

[ROAD DOG]

Got me thinking may be a good next winter project ???

 

[Jack Klarich]

Very nice set up. It looks like rear camber is adjustable? Is there any other adjustments?

 

[molokaimike]

Got me thinking may be a good next winter project ???

It would most certainly be a good winter project. But it would be much easier if you have a lift table like I have. I would hate to think about doing this rolling around on the floor, I'm to old to bend down. :laugh:

 

[molokaimike]

Very nice set up. It looks like rear camber is adjustable? Is there any other adjustments?

Yes, the ride height is adjustable and because two of the shocks are OEM the preload is adjustable. This is a very beefy unit, well made with quality parts. The brake system is made by Wilwood and is compatible with the Harley ABS system. The shocks that come with it are Progressive, the reverse motor plugs into the Harley system so you use your existing handlebar switch to back up. Barring any issues I should have it up and running by the weekend.

 

[molokaimike]

Got the brake lines hooked up now I just have to bleed them. Got the ABS system connected to the new IRS unit. Got the body & muffler mount installed and a few other things taken care of. Went to the muffle shop to get them started on making my new crossover pipe which should be ready by Friday.

 

[molokaimike]

Almost ready to put the body back on and go for a test ride.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Good progress and good pictorial

Are you going to have any problems bleeding the ABS?

 

[ol' school]

Looks good Mike! Thanks for sharing your build with us!

 

[molokaimike]

I bled them and have a good hard pedal so I think I'm good. I'll probably take it to the dealer so they can put it on their machine to make sure it's good. I replaced the brake lines on my 2014 Ultra and didn't have any problems. All I had to do here is transfer the brake lines to the new calipers and I fill them before I connected the lines, there wasn't much fluid leaking out of the lines when I transferred them so I think I'm good to go.

 

[ROAD DOG]

Yes, the ride height is adjustable and because two of the shocks are OEM the preload is adjustable. This is a very beefy unit, well made with quality parts. The brake system is made by Wilwood and is compatible with the Harley ABS system. The shocks that come with it are Progressive, the reverse motor plugs into the Harley system so you use your existing handlebar switch to back up. Barring any issues I should have it up and running by the weekend.

Did the kit come with 2 shocks or 4 ? What brand of mufflers do you have ? It will be interesting to see if the brakes did bleed out correctly ? Most everything is aluminum ? Why did you have it powered coated ? It look's Great .

 

[molokaimike]

The unit is designed to use 4 shocks. If you are converting a bike into a trike the kit you get will have 4 progressive shocks. If you are converting a trike to the IRS unit it comes with 2 progressive shocks and you use your OEM shocks in the vacant 2 shock locations. On the 2019 and up models Harley got rid of the air shocks and went with a coil over shock that has a remote preload adjuster. This will allow me to adjust the preload without having to get out the spanner wrench and adjust the adjusting ring at the bottom of the shock.

I have the Vance & Hinds slipons made for trikes. They have the same low rumble that their monster ovals do on touring models. Living in Arizona I didn't see the need to powder coat the unit because of the low corrosion environment here. But the unit uses a a combination of steel and aluminum and I didn't want to worry about any dissimilar metal issues. I probably didn't need to be concerned about it but I figured what the hell. I've bled Harley's ABS brakes system before on my other bikes with no problem but I will probably take it to the dealer and have them hook it up to their ABS tester to be sure.

 

[molokaimike]

Just took the first test ride with the IRS kit installed. I didn't put the body back on yet in case I had to make some adjustments I didn't want to have to take it off again. It road smooth on the neighborhood streets, I stayed local because of no license plate or lights but some of my streets are a little rough and the IRS did smooth them out.

The one thing that will need to be adjusted is the preload, there was a lot of lean out in the corners. I cranked the progressive shocks to the 3rd notch on the preload but the OEM shocks are still set to 0. I may crank in one more notch of preload on the progressive shocks before I put the body on because now they are easy to get too. Once the body is on I'll make the adjustments with the OEM shocks because it's easy to do. It's still early but all in all I'm happy with the unit.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Good job Mike, thanks for taking us thru your install

 

[ROAD DOG]

Did you get the exhaust pipe made up ?

 

[molokaimike]

Yes I did, the hard part was finding a pipe with the correct diameter, muffler shops don't carry that size. Went to 3 different auto parts stores and finally found the correct size pipe. It was a straight pipe with one flared end and a 90* pipe. The muffler shop put a 45* bend at the flared end then cut it to length and welded it to the 90* pipe. I'll have to take a photo of it installed.

 

[molokaimike]

Here is a shot of the crossover pipe. The muffler shop could not make the 45* bend as close to the flared end as I would have liked because it wouldn't fit in the bender. But it works, it just hangs down a little but I don't think it will be an issue.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Here is a shot of the crossover pipe. The muffler shop could not make the 45* bend as close to the flared end as I would have liked because it wouldn't fit in the bender. But it works, it just hangs down a little but I don't think it will be an issue.

View attachment 98975

That looks better than the flattened OEM pipe IMO

 

[Teufelhunde]

Yes I did, the hard part was finding a pipe with the correct diameter, muffler shops don't carry that size. .

Could they not have used a slightly smaller diameter pipe and after it was formed, expand the ends to the proper size???? I don't think that slight bit of decrease would hurt the exhaust flow that much....

Lon

 

[molokaimike]

Got the body back on. Making a relocation bracket to move the tour pack back a few inches. Went for some more test ride, the unit is smooth riding. The only issue is the lean out. I'm still playing with the shock settings to find the happy medium between smooth ride and minimum lean out.

 

[Marc H]

Looks nice Mike!I wondered how much it was gonna lean when I didn't see a sway bar in any of the pics. I wonder why they didn't put one on it.

 

[Jack Klarich]

:clapping: awesome job, thanks for taking us thru the project

I hope it gives miles of trouble free riding

 

[molokaimike]

Looks nice Mike!I wondered how much it was gonna lean when I didn't see a sway bar in any of the pics. I wonder why they didn't put one on it.

You know, that's a good question. I think I'll ask the owner of IMC that question. I'll even offer my bike to use so he can design one.

 

[molokaimike]

Done at last, all that remains is to give it a bath and do some more test rides to adjust the suspension. This has been a labor of love but it was fulfilling to watch it come together. For some reason I can't get the final photo to load.

 

[ROAD DOG]

Done at last, all that remains is to give it a bath and do some more test rides to adjust the suspension. This has been a labor of love but it was fulfilling to watch it come together. For some reason I can't get the final photo to load.

I found this verry interesting , now ride it 1000 miles and tell us if you would do it again ? I might do it this winter ? Can you tell us the $$$$. Looks good Great job Enjoy the ride