Hey guys, I found a set of '97 Softtail Custom rims for my '94WG.. I'm not so concerned about the front but assume it should be a bolt on.. I bought the set specifically for the solid rear. Now, I'm getting ready to fit it up. Does anyone know if the spacing would be the same (using my spacers on this wheel)?? Just wanted to get a heads up on what to expect. I'm also thinking of shifting the wheel to the right for a little more belt clearance too.. Any tips??

 

I don't think shifting the wheel to the right will help with belt clearence unless you shim the pully at the same time. Unless you are planning on a larger tire, you should not have to worry about it.

D

 

I suspect the wheels will interchange without problems. As for clearance you can use spacers behind the pulley to get a little extra clearance, but there is not much room. Look at the gap between the swingarm and pulley.

I fitted a 140/90 tyre in my bike and it will fit, the only modification necessary being to the belt guard. I had a total of 3/16" clearance between tyre and belt. To get a wider tyre in a 150/80 will fit, but only with a later spec narrow belt.

 

I've got plenty ofroom on my trans pulley, to go right. I planned to get shims for the rear pulley. No big deal there. I'm mainly curious how much room I have on the brake caliper, to go that direction.. The bike came with a 130, I've got a 140 on it with the belt just close enough not to touch. Havent measures it, but its in the .0001" range.. If I can, I'd like to move the wheel over and shim enough to get a 150 in there.. Thats about all I want, dont really care to get much bigger than that and didnt see replacing the belt and pulley at this time making sense for me.. Maybe later though. So, if its not worth the effort at this point, I'll just run another 140 on this solid rear as it is.. MAybe I'll get lucky and my shims will make it a drop in job..

 

I have recently been through a similar excercise. Reading other threads over the last few months it seems different HDFers have had different experiences. A few have got a 150 in without problems, but I tried hard to get one in on my bike and gave up! Using a narrow belt was how I did it, without using any spacers, but I used a later wheel and swingarm.

Moving your wheel over won't work, as there is so little room in the fender. My wheel is plumb centre in mine, but you wouldn't get a little finger in between tyre and fender while sitting on the bike!

As I found, it is a juggling act. There is not much room in the swingarm to move the wheel around and there is a small amount of room to use a spacer behind the pulley, but the easiest way of making more room is with a narrow belt. That gives you 3/8" each side of your wheel, or 3/4" in all.

Another consideration is the brand and model of wide tyre you use, and variation in fitted width relative to spec. One reason my 150/80 Avon Venom wouldn't fit, although I had worked out it would, is that it is wider than expected on my wheel. My experience is that it is not possible to predict within an 1/8" just how things will fit together.

 

I got an Avon AM26 150/80 to fit my '85 WG with pulley shims & spacing the belt guard out a little. However, the tire is just wide enough that the outer rib just barely rubs the lip on the inside of the fender when the bike is loaded. My new tire will be a 140/85.

 

I always get a stack of washers to simulate the spacers, add or remove till you get everything where it needs to be...then order spacers. Vulcan will have any spacers you need...piece of cake.

http://vulcanworks.net/store_4/home.php?cat=3

 

Now thats a pretty good idea....

I took another look today and it appears that Grahm's correct, again .. I owe you a slice of cake..

I'm going to have to wait till I do the narrow belt mod.. I've got alot less room on the right side than I thought, for some reason.. So, 140 will be it for me, for now anyhow.. No big deal, just thought I might be able to take advantage of the new wheel install..

As always, thanks for all the info guys..