Progressive front fork springs

[DeerWrangler]

I am looking at installing the progressive fork springs in my trike. 2001 Gl1800 Lehman. It has EZ steer and when it was installed an extension was placed on top of the front forks to get the trike back up to a more level...

Have any of you mechanical minded folks done this yourselves? Got any suggestions as t " Dont do X like i did or be careful about Y because of?"
Since my trike is a pre owned i doubt that fork oil & etc had been done so with it now having 30K on it i figure that i might as well do a fork service at the same time.

 

[jim peacock]

As the owner of a 96se with a 06 lehman kit that had progressive springs in it before it was triked,I do not recomend progressive springs,especally with a rake kit.
It just makes the ride to harsh.
I even had the 15wt oil removed and atf, put in still to harsh,ended up having the progressive springs removed and stock springs installed.
My advice drain the old oil out and put in new fork oil.
:no::no::no::no:

 

[kj5ix]

Just changing the springs is a relatively easy thing to do, and can be done in some cases with out removing the forks from the bike. Changing the oil will take removing the forks, and some mechanical ability, but not hard to do. Messy if you spill the oil Adding springs will defiantly improve the front.

 

[Chumbly]

I changed mine, when the bike was still on two wheels...it made a difference in a good way then, I thought. Now, on three wheels, I've still got the Progressive springs in. Don't know if that makes it better or worse with a trike as I've never experienced it any other way.

 

[Rex Slye]

I put a set of Traxxion springs in the '02. Price was just a few dollars more than Progressive.

 

[Eurekaboy]

If you're gonna remove the forks then loosen the caps before you remove them from the triple tree. Makes it easier.

 

[Yogisan]

If the extensions have a bolt head or socket hole on the top then all you have to do is loosen the crimp bolts on the top section of the triple tree and unscrew the extensions. You may have to remove or relocate the handlebar to get access to the top of the extensions.

If the extensions have a smooth top, like mine do, then you'll have to buckle down and remove the entire fork assembly except for the triple tree.

Unless your fork tubes have a drain hole for the fluid like older bikes used to have (and I'm talking a decade or so ago), then you'll need to either remove the entire fork assembly or use a suction device to change the fluid. The suction device removes most of the fluid but it doesn't get all the fluid from the fork tube.

A couple of months ago I added fork extensions because the Steerite raked tree lowered the front end too much. The extensions brought it back to the normal level height. Since I had to pull the entire fork assembly to add the extensions (smooth topped Bilski's), I changed the fluid (original from '07) and shortened the Progressive spring pre-loads to soften the fork suspension response while I was at it. :yes:

 

[DeerWrangler]

I Ended up putting in Progressive springs in. As the forks had an extension on them due to the EZ steer having been installed it was a little more problematic in getting that out before removing the forks.
Hard to say what was in the fork tubes as the springs were wound identical or nearly identical to the new progressing springs. Maybe the previous owner had installed progressing springs.. No idea but it does seem to ride just a Weeee bit smoother and there is less of a load up from under normal weight.