I noticed today that there's a pretty significant gap between my tire and front fender. Is there a relatively easy way to lower it down a bit? Any disadvantage to doing that?

 

I was looking at my buddies 06 Dyna today when I had it on the lift for maintenance and noticed the same thing on his. Too much gap. I'm a fabricator by trade so I'm sure I will come up with something but it might be a while. Think I will just cut some length out of the brackets and re-weld them.

 

my next adventure for my '13 bob. I've heard from members here to lay/tape an extension cord on the tire and sit the fender on that. then mark the new holes and drill it......will attempt in the next few days....

 

Just notch the fender bolt holes

 

as in make the 1/4" hole a 9/16" hole? or take a drill bit the same size and just use it to elongate the hole vertical and make it a <====> shaped hole?

 

Just use a 110 tire. Fills the gap nicely.

 

Here's my mod...

Problem: After adding chrome lowers, I found the chrome fluted dust caps that came with the kit slip over the top of the lower, instead of butting the shoulder of it. This would have prevented my using my SE Fork Brace, because lowering the brace on the lowers caused interference with the fender.



Solution: By hogging-out the fender mount holes, I could drop the fender lower to the tire, and have just a shop-rag's clearance between Brace & Fender when the brace was topped-up against the bottoms of the chrome caps. Don't have a close-up showing it, but the fender is pretty tight to the tire now. Did the same mod to the red tins now on the bike. Front photo added.






The only downside I can envision would be some piece of road debris getting kicked up between the tire and fender, and there being more chance of damage or "loss of control, which could result in serious injury or death". So far, has not been an issue. I'd like to have someone ride beside my and my brother's (stock fender) Wide Glides to see if there was any noticeable difference in how they handle tire/rain spray.

 

Good pics, thanks for sharing them. My fork brace is the same distance from my fender now.

 

Couple of issues with this I've found. One, the fender is actually radiused for a 21" wheel so when you drop it down on a 19" tire, it looks really stupid IMHO. Also, the step in the fender brackets makes is very difficult to extend or re-drill holes to drop it. Best solution I think is to either get 21" front, which means changing both front & rear wheels since that OEM cast wheel does not exist in 21" (that I know of), or get a custom low 19" fender & repaint. I haven't found one I like yet.

 

21" front wheel requires no mods to fender. It hugs the tire nice and tight.