FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2005
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FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
Anyone out there have any experience with this conversion, on your own bike or otherwise. I've been itching to do this on my 2002 FXD (did a search and found only one thread on this topic). I would love to know if its a move that is worth the cash. I think I could handle it myself, and would love to hear some experiences first.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2006
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RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
Check out this months American Iron. I think they put a raked fork on a Sporty without changing the neck rake. The kit looked good and would assume one available for Dyna.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,492
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From: MA
RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
ORIGINAL: JSW
Anyone out there have any experience with this conversion, on your own bike or otherwise. I've been itching to do this on my 2002 FXD (did a search and found only one thread on this topic). I would love to know if its a move that is worth the cash. I think I could handle it myself, and would love to hear some experiences first.
Anyone out there have any experience with this conversion, on your own bike or otherwise. I've been itching to do this on my 2002 FXD (did a search and found only one thread on this topic). I would love to know if its a move that is worth the cash. I think I could handle it myself, and would love to hear some experiences first.
I'll answer the 2nd part first - you can certainly do this yourself. You will need some quality tools, especially a high quality torx (I think t-45) to take the pinch bolts out of the original setup. You will need a decent bike lift. You will also need to get a new lower head bearing and dust shield from the dealer, the old one just will not come off, so be prepared for that (although it might be included in some kits). You can probably do this all youself though another pair of hands makes it much easier and less risk of dropping something expensive.
Now - is it worth it? Only you can decide that. You can spend around $700-800 for a kit that includes new trees, axle and t-shaft and hopefully a spacer for the disk. Going this route you will reuse your forks.
Another option is to spend thousands on a kit that replaces the exising forks as well, typically with something a bit meatier than the 39mm. Now you have to worry about spacers, fender brackets, etc. which are not likely included.
I've read that most who do this prefer the mid glide look if using the existing forks, they think the 39mm forks look too thin in the wide setup. I'm not sure I agree after looking at naz_mans setup, looks pretty good to me (personally not sure I'd go with the goth, but that's just me, the dimensions look fine, and his setup looks really nice, and very personal - probably never see another one just like that!).
Also - keep in mind that once you do this - other changes follow: As shown in naz_mans setup, you will need to replace the headlamp, and once everything else up front is nice and shiney, you'll want to get a chrome speedo bracket ... then you'll want to change the bars........ then you'll need new cables ........ then .... then .....
Dealing with the speedo and idiot light wiring is going to be a hassle. Once you change the headlamp, there is a lot of wiring exposed that needs covering somehow.
Maybe naz_man can comment on how the change to wide affected the bikes handling??
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Cruiser
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RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
Thanks for all the replies so far guys.
Nazman, thanks for the pics- I'll have some more questions for you.
Steve-I'll be looking in that AIM this month (I'm still getting through the Dec issue-I read every word).
Glide- thanks for the detailed response. I have all the tools you mentioned and some of the confidence to do it myself.
My preference is to get a wide glide look including the increased rake. I'll keep my forks if possible but aren't the WG forks longer than a SG or does the rake in the trees make up for it? I know the handling will be different and it won't bother me unless I get a wobble.
Naz-- are those the stock FXD forks on yours--they look chrome to me unless you did a great job polishing them down (which I will most likely do). I think (as glide05 does) that your setup looks great with the 39mm forks.
This sucks- I'm inbetween doing this or a big bore with gear drive cams.
Nazman, thanks for the pics- I'll have some more questions for you.
Steve-I'll be looking in that AIM this month (I'm still getting through the Dec issue-I read every word).
Glide- thanks for the detailed response. I have all the tools you mentioned and some of the confidence to do it myself.
My preference is to get a wide glide look including the increased rake. I'll keep my forks if possible but aren't the WG forks longer than a SG or does the rake in the trees make up for it? I know the handling will be different and it won't bother me unless I get a wobble.
Naz-- are those the stock FXD forks on yours--they look chrome to me unless you did a great job polishing them down (which I will most likely do). I think (as glide05 does) that your setup looks great with the 39mm forks.
This sucks- I'm inbetween doing this or a big bore with gear drive cams.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,042
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From: Brunswick, MD
RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
ORIGINAL: glide05
JSW,
I'll answer the 2nd part first - you can certainly do this yourself. You will need some quality tools, especially a high quality torx (I think t-45) to take the pinch bolts out of the original setup. You will need a decent bike lift. You will also need to get a new lower head bearing and dust shield from the dealer, the old one just will not come off, so be prepared for that (although it might be included in some kits). You can probably do this all youself though another pair of hands makes it much easier and less risk of dropping something expensive.
Now - is it worth it? Only you can decide that. You can spend around $700-800 for a kit that includes new trees, axle and t-shaft and hopefully a spacer for the disk. Going this route you will reuse your forks.
Another option is to spend thousands on a kit that replaces the exising forks as well, typically with something a bit meatier than the 39mm. Now you have to worry about spacers, fender brackets, etc. which are not likely included.
I've read that most who do this prefer the mid glide look if using the existing forks, they think the 39mm forks look too thin in the wide setup. I'm not sure I agree after looking at naz_mans setup, looks pretty good to me (personally not sure I'd go with the goth, but that's just me, the dimensions look fine, and his setup looks really nice, and very personal - probably never see another one just like that!).
Also - keep in mind that once you do this - other changes follow: As shown in naz_mans setup, you will need to replace the headlamp, and once everything else up front is nice and shiney, you'll want to get a chrome speedo bracket ... then you'll want to change the bars........ then you'll need new cables ........ then .... then .....
Dealing with the speedo and idiot light wiring is going to be a hassle. Once you change the headlamp, there is a lot of wiring exposed that needs covering somehow.
Maybe naz_man can comment on how the change to wide affected the bikes handling??
ORIGINAL: JSW
Anyone out there have any experience with this conversion, on your own bike or otherwise. I've been itching to do this on my 2002 FXD (did a search and found only one thread on this topic). I would love to know if its a move that is worth the cash. I think I could handle it myself, and would love to hear some experiences first.
Anyone out there have any experience with this conversion, on your own bike or otherwise. I've been itching to do this on my 2002 FXD (did a search and found only one thread on this topic). I would love to know if its a move that is worth the cash. I think I could handle it myself, and would love to hear some experiences first.
I'll answer the 2nd part first - you can certainly do this yourself. You will need some quality tools, especially a high quality torx (I think t-45) to take the pinch bolts out of the original setup. You will need a decent bike lift. You will also need to get a new lower head bearing and dust shield from the dealer, the old one just will not come off, so be prepared for that (although it might be included in some kits). You can probably do this all youself though another pair of hands makes it much easier and less risk of dropping something expensive.
Now - is it worth it? Only you can decide that. You can spend around $700-800 for a kit that includes new trees, axle and t-shaft and hopefully a spacer for the disk. Going this route you will reuse your forks.
Another option is to spend thousands on a kit that replaces the exising forks as well, typically with something a bit meatier than the 39mm. Now you have to worry about spacers, fender brackets, etc. which are not likely included.
I've read that most who do this prefer the mid glide look if using the existing forks, they think the 39mm forks look too thin in the wide setup. I'm not sure I agree after looking at naz_mans setup, looks pretty good to me (personally not sure I'd go with the goth, but that's just me, the dimensions look fine, and his setup looks really nice, and very personal - probably never see another one just like that!).
Also - keep in mind that once you do this - other changes follow: As shown in naz_mans setup, you will need to replace the headlamp, and once everything else up front is nice and shiney, you'll want to get a chrome speedo bracket ... then you'll want to change the bars........ then you'll need new cables ........ then .... then .....
Dealing with the speedo and idiot light wiring is going to be a hassle. Once you change the headlamp, there is a lot of wiring exposed that needs covering somehow.
Maybe naz_man can comment on how the change to wide affected the bikes handling??
The tubes on my bike are stock stainless steel with chrome sliders.
Any other question feel free to ask me!
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,492
Likes: 1
From: MA
RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
Correct - I visited Accutronix after I sent this and realized that there is an option to keep the stock headlamp and the "brow".
JSW - if you haven't already done so - click on Donnie's site - more fine pics.
It might be possible to rake it a bit and keep the stock forks, but you're going to have to drop the rear end at the same time to preserve the rake/trail balance. You'll end up with a shorter bike that has less clearance. Not sure if the calculations work out OK?
JSW - if you haven't already done so - click on Donnie's site - more fine pics.
It might be possible to rake it a bit and keep the stock forks, but you're going to have to drop the rear end at the same time to preserve the rake/trail balance. You'll end up with a shorter bike that has less clearance. Not sure if the calculations work out OK?
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Cruiser
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RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
I've dropped the rear already so I wonder if I may have to get the whole front end as a kit (like purchasing a stock WG front end). I'm betting that would be one hell of a purchase (wheels and such).
I'm going to Donnie's place to see if he has a good side view of his scoot. I may be happy with what he did and not increasing the rake.
I'm going to Donnie's place to see if he has a good side view of his scoot. I may be happy with what he did and not increasing the rake.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,042
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From: Brunswick, MD
RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
ORIGINAL: JSW
I've dropped the rear already so I wonder if I may have to get the whole front end as a kit (like purchasing a stock WG front end). I'm betting that would be one hell of a purchase (wheels and such).
I'm going to Donnie's place to see if he has a good side view of his scoot. I may be happy with what he did and not increasing the rake.
I've dropped the rear already so I wonder if I may have to get the whole front end as a kit (like purchasing a stock WG front end). I'm betting that would be one hell of a purchase (wheels and such).
I'm going to Donnie's place to see if he has a good side view of his scoot. I may be happy with what he did and not increasing the rake.
http://www.donniesplace.com/htmls/donnie/dec06_1.htm
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Cruiser
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RE: FXD with Wide Glide conversion?
Donnie, the more I look at your pics, the more I like it. I thought I would want to rake it out like a WG but after reading the article about rake and trailin AIM, and seeing your pics I think I've changed my mind.
Handling is very unsafe when the trail is messed up and I have no interest in doing that.
The Seeger Cycle tech article was really informative about this topic and am going to check out their site to see the possibility of getting one of the kits they produce.
Handling is very unsafe when the trail is messed up and I have no interest in doing that.
The Seeger Cycle tech article was really informative about this topic and am going to check out their site to see the possibility of getting one of the kits they produce.