Need advice!!! Has anyone installed the progressive suspension on the 650 by themselves? Is it easy? And do you need a spring compressor to do it? I will have my spring kit by the end of next week and would like to do it myself to save money! I know I can do it, just need to know if I need to find a spring compressor or if you can do it by hand. Please respond.

 

enough said.

 

You need a buddy or two to get the struts apart and back together. An air wrench is very handy for getting the nut off the top of the strut assembly.
This is one of the best mods you will do to your 650. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

I have assisted in the installation of three sets of Progressive Springs, and like anything else, it gets easier each time.

It is definately a two man job, but not at all difficult. The worst part of the job (by far!) is the removal of the front rack and plastic to get at the dirn things. We didn't use an air wrench; a big crescent (15" or so) worked fine, a big socket (can't remeber the size) works better.

The whole job, start to finish, should take only an hour or so. No special tools were used, unless you consider circlip pliers a special tool. (We just used a vice, opened approx. 1.5", as a platform to push down and compress the old spring for disassembly and the same for the new one for re-assembly.

Progressive includes pretty good step-by-step instructions which make the job less intimidating for a "first-timer".

Good Luck!

 

If you put the ***. in a vise you can pull down on the spring and put a spacer in so it doesn't go all the way back up, then remove the c-clip. just be careful.

 

I agree with Prairiepuppy, did mine a little different but same great results. If you don't have a big enough cresent wrench a pipe wrench will work too. After you get them on, you will really like them.

 

i actually did mine myself, after buying a standard spring compressor, and realizing it doesnt fit, i hooked a metal clothes hangar to the top of the strut, wrapped around the strut and pinched between the 2 nuts on the top of the strut. the other end of the clothes hangar was attached to front of my other prairie (wifes) by pulling on the bottom of the strut with my feet against the front tires (sitting down on garage floor) it took the pressure off the top c-clip. the other posts were right though the platic and racks are time consuming. Good Lukc

 

Thanks for all the advice. I'll let everyone know how it turns out when they arrive. Also I noticed in the profiles that nobody had a lift kit installed! I wonder if that will make a difference since I already have a highlifter 2" lift kit? The rep. from ATV Outfitters said the suspension will work with my lift. Anybody else installed the springs with a lift kit on?