There's been plenty of folks that have posted about installing new lift brackets and shocks, but I don't remember reading about anyone removing the body to do it. If someone is considering this option, maybe there's some info here that might help.
Had the parts for a couple of weeks, waiting for the weather to break a bit and get a couple of friends to help out. We've installed the lift kits on four TriGlides and the Bitumo shocks on one and the 13" ProAction shocks on two other trikes. Every single time we did it the "usual" way....jacked up the trike, removed the tires and worked from under the trike. Not a hard job, but not easy to get to everything.
We were installing the 14" ProAction shocks along with the appropriate lift brackets, so this time we decided to take off the back of the trike and see what that did for us. Removing the body of the trike is very simple. Eight bolts and disconnect the wiring and it lifts right off. Well, not quite until we removed the passenger hand rails. Those blocked lifting the body, but that's a quick removal of only two bolts. It was not too heavy at all to lift off for two of us and we did not take off the tourpak. Once we got the body off we slid some jacks under the crossmembers and raised the trike up only high enough to slide the wheels off. Once the wheels were off, it was amazing how accessible all the bolts were compared to working from underneath.
We knew we didn't have to remove the body. It was more that we wanted to. Partly to say that we did it and also to get a better, closer look at everything. Of course after we got everything off, the frame and exhaust pipes were filthy, so we did "have" to clean them. Installing the new lifts and shocks were a breeze with such easy access to everything.
Putting the body back on was also very easy. It just kind of slides right in place and with a little tug here and there, all the holes lined up. Then it was just reinstalling the bolts, torquing everything to spec, reconnect the wiring harnesses and it was back together in a very short time.
Not sure how people install these lifts and shocks in an hour or two like they say. We must sit around and BS for a good bit more time than others because we took about 3.5 hours, but had a blast doing it. It's pretty amazing how simple the back end is.
Next up is to ride and see what I think. Cold and rainy out, so today was not a good day to test the new shocks. Supposed to be in the upper 70's by the middle of the week, so I'm excited to feel the difference!
Some photos of the handiwork.
One of my friends that helped, admiring the naked back end of the trike.
Raising the trike up to get the tires and OEM shocks off after being cleaned.
New shocks installed.
Close-up of new 14" shocks.