Fork Boot Installation Headache ! !

[Powerlifter626]

Hi Guys, I am trying to install a pair of fork boots on my Sportster front end. I bought the kit from J&P Cycles and I am not sure if it is really supposed to be this hard or if I am doing it wrong. Not sure how to secure boots to lower sliders so they stay in place. Where do you secure the top part of the boot to? Does it just fit over the big metal washer? Any pointers would help. I am sure I'll have more questions as the assembly continues. Thanks again.

-Paul

[jmanjeff]

Yes it fits over the big washer at the top, and on the slider there is a lip it go's over i will get a pic if you need.
The top can be a pain in the ...... are the boots soft if not use a hair dryer and heat them up just tell they a soft and will starch over the top .
Pic's are to big to post
upper

lower

Jeff

[Chris Haynes]

I bought a set of replacement boots from Taiwan Tedd and they were too small. I then found out that the 46001-54 boots are still available from H-D.

[Sportster Jerry]

it can be a real bear to get them installed on the top side, but my only advice is just keep trying until you get it. if they are popping off the bottom, sometimes i put a black ziptie on the bottom to hold them in place for a while. After a few weeks they are stretched out enough to stay in place on their own and you can take the ziptie off.......or just leave it on because you barely see it anyway.

[moon wolf]

I bought a set of replacement boots from Taiwan Tedd and they were too small. I then found out that the 46001-54 boots are still available from H-D.

Yeah, it's pretty funny or maybe "sad" is the word. I've seen the oem boots go for almost a hundred buck on ebay when they are available from Harley for $20.

[Powerlifter626]

Thanks to everyone for your help, especially Jeff for the pictures. I had no idea Harley still sells the OEM boots. I went to a dealership a couple of years ago looking for parts and they told me they had no parts for Pre-1981 Harley Davidson Motorcycles.

[otis71]

The word I heard was when they came out with the sportster model 48 a few years ago Harley started producing the boots again for it. I haven’t experienced them but I would be surprised if they were identical.

[RichO]

If you go to your local H-D dealer with a part # they should do what mine does. They go on the computer and they print out any dealers that show that part in their stock and they give me the print out. It lists their phone # and location. I call them and they check their stock ( sometimes their gone for a few minutes because it's upstairs or in another building where they store their older parts) and if they have it they quote a price and ship it. Sometimes it's the original price sometimes they pinch you for a bit more. I've got 40's to 60's parts lately. Just sayin'.