Hey gang,

I finally was able to afford the front tire too to my '97 FLSTC. I put the tires on the solid rims I got off a '95 Fatboy (FLSTF?).

The No-mar worked wonders and I got the back rim and tire on without a problem, the spacers fit just fine.

The someone kicked sand in the lube, meaning when I went to put the wheel and tire on the front, nothing matched. Just my luck. I'm broke and almost always am, so trying to get a bunch of spacers is probably out of the question. Trying to mock up anything is *really* a bitch to try and do...you gotta figure that my 'garage' is a piece of plywood on the dirt and it's on a slight slope (if you stand back from the entrance to my 'garage', to look at the bike, you would see the bike doesn't have very much lean with the kickstand down because of the slope from left side of bike to right side, and the whole front is open to the weather, but since it's facing south, I've not had anything come in more than a couple feet. It's a two-bay carport that I made into three and covered three sides leaving all the front open).

I played hell sitting down and getting everything ready to put together on the front wheel. Lifted the wheel with my knees, the had to put the bearings in, then tried one of the spacers I had on the right side (non brake disc side) and go through the middle spacer inside the rim then as it's coming out the left side (brake disc side) I have to finagle trying to keep the bearing in, then pushing through a little more to try another spacer, meanwhile the tire is wobbling because it's a mother to use the knees to hold the tire up and get things right. Anyway, the other spacer I thought went on that side, was probably an inch too big, just guessing.

I tried it with the spacers swapped, but that way the longer spacer doesn't go either. I have a bad feeling the middle sleeve spacer may be a bit too long too. I can feel the ends sticking outside the rim where it sits about 1/8" both sides...if that's true, then the bearings aren't seating in the race like they should...I think.

Since I can't afford a bunch of new stuff, or get things where I can let it sit where I can look at things standing away from the wheel a little bit (and no, I can't ask the OL, she's too small and her hands are already grieving her with arthritis, or I would have, heh heh).

Is it possible to put the front tire back on the spoked rim and ride the solid wheel in rear and spoked in front? It'd mean I wasted a couple hundred dollars I had to save up to get each wheel, and for someone on a tiny fixed income that hurt and this would hurt more, because it would mean I'd have to put it somewhere and let it remind me of the money I lost every time I park or get the chainsaw or whatever.

Any ideas? Anyone know the reason this didn't work? Will the FBI ever catch D. B. Cooper? Who had the right to say that water is 'blue'? If a '55 Chevy is doing the speed of light in space, and you pull the headlight switch on, will the light shine outward? (yeah, I'm desperate to get this going. My back is not doing well riding in the truck all this time and I'm in far more pain than I used to be when I used the bike for everything ).

 

If you have the time and opportunity then why not give it a try?

 

Sucks that the wheel you bought won't fit properly, but better to tuck that wheel away than having the bike sitting there just taking up space.

Spokes up-front and disc in the rear is working for me.

 

Fixin' to. I'm waiting on a new tube and trim rubber. I suppose I could just keep the old tube, but at least that's something I can afford and trim rubber gets messed up from that tube on it all the time. I'll keep the old tube just for ***** and giggles backup.

 

Yeah, I was able to get the OL out there today and pushing the axle through better than I could do it by myself, and literally it looks like 3/16" is all that's stopping me from being able to use the solid rim.

Once the rubber is here, I'll get on the good ol' No-mar and have it done in no time. By the way...that No-mar tire changer has paid for itself twice over, as far as I'm concerned. It has saved my back and fingers and sweating so badly that it looks like I walked to the pond and jumped in, I literally soak all I'm wearing, lol.

I just wanted to make sure it wasn't going to handle strangely with a solid rim in back and a spoke up front.

 

Good to know about the No-Mar.

I've just completed my first - and surprisingly easy - manual tire change with spoons. But admittedly, on the narrow, 21" tire.

I suspect the beefier tires will require more muscle.