What wheel did you end up getting? Size, model, year, bearing size? I've been wanting to do this mod myself. Thanks is advance.

 

I have a Deuce alloy wheel, fitted from 1999. It is 4.5" wide and 17" diameter and came with stock 3/4" bearings. I plan fitting 1" bearings, to fit my 2007 swingarm and axle, also an Avon 160/70 Storm tyre.

I haven't started this yet and it may be a while before I prove if it will work or not. I will report on progress as I go along!

 

Thanks for the info! Keep us posted on how this works out.

 

OK chaps, hold on tight! Work has started at last.

This Deuce wheel had better darned well fit when it has a tyre on it. I have had problems I didn’t anticipate, but that is what a ‘dry fit’ is for. I’ve had a lot of those this weekend, just working with the bare wheel!

At 4.5” this rim is much wider than our stock 3” rim and when installed it overhangs the rear calliper a lot more, which steals all the wriggle room for getting the wheel in and out. Once in place it is fine, but getting it there has involved a lot of effort, finding a workable installation process.

Having tried in vain I found that the wheel wouldn’t just pop in, nice and easy like, as the calliper hits the inside of the rim, preventing the rotor from engaging the pads. So I tried various ways of getting it into the bike, including removing the inner brake pad, then slackening all the rotor screws, but eventually removed the pulley and rotor, before I finally got the wheel where it belongs.

I have at least proved that once in place, with all the spacers etc, everything seems to line up right. I say that as the bearings are ž” ID and my current setup is 1”, so I can’t install the axle yet, but a piece of ‘engineering grade’ garden bamboo served almost as well, as you can see! It proves that the geometry of the hub is the same as other stock sealed-bearing rear wheels and they should all work together fine.

This was the first time I have removed my rear wheel, since installing a later swingarm and 1” axle set-up. The axle nut is 35mm AF and after a season in place required an extender bar just to slacken it. I am fast coming to realise that roadside rear wheel removal has become a thing of the past! So fiddling around to get my Deuce wheel in and out has become less of a problem. If I can do it behind a closed door at home that will have to do!

Next step is to get a tyre fitted and following that a 1” bearing set, so I can see what other challenges lie in wait. I suspect that with a tyre fitted it will be fun squeezing the wheel into place. My chosen tyre is a 160/70VR17 Avon 'Storm 2 Ultra', with a load rating of 79 or 963 pounds, which is largely what this is all about. The step after that will be checking fender clearance! Fingers crossed…..

I was going to paint this wheel black, to match the front, but I don’t think I will bother now – paint won’t survive the bruising of getting the wheel in and out!

 

I had a duece wheel installed on my 99 fxstc afew years ago had to machine duece pulley, change spacers, change rear brake..... still have to remove rear caliper to remove wheel !!!! major pain in the azz ! need to get the duece rear pulley , it is machined for clearence on backside so it fits properly, will be doing that this winter.

 

That ain’t no rear tyre, THIS is a Rear Tyre!

Dunlop D401 130/90 MT compared with Avon Storm 2 Ultra 160/70. Just the small matter of squeezing it into the bike........

Fitted width measures 167mm, which is just one mm wider than the brochure.

 

I'm working my way through a check-list of things, the latest of which is tyre to belt clearance. I'm reminded of when I did the same thing a few years ago, with my first 'wide' tyre, a 140/90, while I still had the original 1 1/2" wide belt. Clearance with my current 1 1/8" belt is about the same, at around 3/16" or 4-5mm. Just enough!

Next para added later:

And here is the evidence. I have commented before on HDF that when fitting oversize tyres, this is how to check if there is clearance between tyre and belt. Photo shows looking down the pulley side of the tyre, with top and bottom edges of the tyre in line with each other. As you can see, the only visible part of the pulley is the inside flange. The thickness of that is the clearance I will have, when everything is tightened up and in place! No need to bother with wheel alignment, just set the clearance, where tyre and belt come closest, to that dimension. Simples!

Next para added even later:

I could slip in a thin spacer behind the pulley, to marginally improve clearance, but will size that up when I get my 1" bearings installed and can fit the wheel for real. One step at a time!

Fender next. Well that can best be described as a running fit with my original fender! I think the tyre sidewalls would need to be lubricated, so it could move up and down inside. Fender is exactly as wide as the tyre! Fortunately I have a later wider one to hand. At least the wheel fits in place in the bike, although with both pulley and rotor removed.

 

Wheel is back, modified and with nice new 1" bearings installed and I have fitted it into the bike. My word things are close! Having previously satisfied myself that it looks like a worthwhile project, I can now actually set about making it work.

With the suspension on full extension, bike in the air, the tyre doesn't seem too close to anything, but what I will do next (I have removed the shocks) is to jack the wheel up to simulate full compression of the shocks, to see how things look then. I do wish this fender was a bit wider.....

 

Well I've never done that before! Jacked the wheel up, to simulate the shocks fully compressed to just 10" overall length. I'm pleased to report that my new tyre misses everything, although I can't get a finger in anywhere! The tread is almost 2" off hitting the fender at the top, so no clearance problems there.

I have a pretty large selection of discarded nuts and bolts, but can't find just the right ones to finally fasten the new rear fender in place, so I have another wait for parts. What a great thing is the internet and small specialist businesses!

As with my wide belt and 140/90 tyre of a few years ago I have a snug 3/16" clearance between my tyre and current narrow belt. I'm happy with that and will trim the belt guard to suit, when I am closer to being road ready.

 

interesting stuff...tnx for taking th time to post your project's progression...