I think the way the stock springs were (in my case anyway) that the forks were already down into the "meat" of the travel, just by sitting on the bike. This made the forks less effective, a result of the "bike geometry" being screwwy due to the angle on the fork (and lost travel). I could be wrong though. All I know is that the new springs made a HUGE difference. The bike no longer "squats" or settles just by sitting on it, giving me back that couple of inches I was losing with the stockers.
The .44s will probably suit you perfectly, toys. I had the clickers set in the middle, and I was a little bouncy over the rough, fast stuff. I think a few clicks "softer" and it'll be just about right. I need to get the rear setup (sag, etc) before I go again. The clickers in the rear are one click out from stock, which is jsut about right. This girl is going to ride like a Cadillac when I'm finished!