I have a 1997 FXSTC with a stock front end. I would like to lay out the front end a little, but do not want to cut my frame. Couldn't I duplicate cutting the frame with raked cups in the steering head and then use raked triple trees to bring the rake and trail back to where it should be? The rear has been lowered an inch and I have a 21 x 3.25 front tire with a 120/70 front tire. If I added three degrees to both the neck and the trees, wouldn't I be close to stock rake and trail?

I can look at my stock trees and tell they are raked some. They are not at the same rake as the frame neck. Does anyone know what the rake of stock Harley FX trees is?What about FLST trees from the Heritage/Fatboy? They look to be Zero??

Are all factory softail frames the same rake, ie, whether or not it is an FLST or FXST?

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Dennis

 

If you add 3 degree cups and 3 degree trees, you'll end up with 6 degrees of rake, and the trail should be OK. What I don't know is if the 3 degree trees are 3 degrees past the extra rake in the stock Sloptail trees, or if they are just 3 degrees period. I know the trees on the Sloptails are raked a bit. I'm not sure, but I sorta remember they are kicked out 3 degrees from the neck.

 

I thought I had heard that the stock softail trees were 3 degrees also.

So I guess what I am proposing would be three degree raked neck bearings and 6 degree trees. Adding three to both should be close to a wash. This should keep me in the safe zone with rake and trail as I see it.

Agreed?

 

So you'll end up with 9 degrees in the rake, and the trail should be OK, but the only way to find out for sure is with a rake & trail calculator. How much over are you going to go on the front tubes?

Rake & trail calculator sites:
http://www.kennedyschopper.com/
http://www.rbracing-rsr.com/rakeandtrail.html
http://www.wisil.recumbents.com/wisi...te2=yes#Actual Trail Calculator

 

A stock FX does not have raked trees. The front end is over 2 degrees fromt the 30 a FL has only because the tubes are longer and it puts the bike at an angle. You can install raked neck cups but thats it. Anything over 3 degrees will put you in bad geometry. Check your measurements against this website where they have a rake and trail interactive formula table and stay in the green. And keep in mind that althoug the neck cups rake your stem, it still put it at an angle of hard handling unlike a 3 degree raked neck. http://www.perseperformance.com/

 

Choppertime, My stock trees are in fact raked. To what degree, I don't know, but you can see the angular difference between the neck and the fork tubes. Very noticable. I will try to put my magnetic gauge on both to see if I can get a rough idea.

Pococj, I've played around with the RB calcualtor. It is very slick. I'm leaning towards 4" over tubes. I want length more then height, as I like the low look.

 

IMNSHO, the only reason to add height is for a little extra ground clearance, and then it only needs about two inches on the stock rake to do the job. Sounds like you've got it going, so all I wanna know is when do we get to see some pics? And take some of the whole process, post it in the Project Room forum.