rear wheel adjustment
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Joined: Apr 2009
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rear wheel adjustment
Well now that iron mick and piniongear have solved my starter problem I have another slight prob!!!!!!! It seems that my rear tire sits unevenly beneith my rear fender. I don't think it is a fender or fender support problem but some kind of alignment problem with my rear wheel. Here is my question. Is there some kind of adj to move the rear wheel (tire) from left to right so it is aligned perfectly on both sides. there is so little clearance on the left side that the tire rubs on the fender when I go over the slightest bump and wears on the tire. Oh by the way this is a 76 elect start xlh1000 ironhead---pls help
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everything is right but I think if I add a 3/16 spacer on the side of the axle that is too closre to the fender it will move the whole wheel over just enough to be exactly in center?????????????????????????????-Jeff ??????????
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
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From: Houston Texas
Maybe you should consider this.........
Say you install a 3/16 spacer on the right. OK, now your tire is perfectly centered under the fender! Yay, problem solved (you think)
What has the spacer done to the chain/rear sprocket alignment?
I am willing to bet the sprocket has also moved 3/16 out of alignment with the front sprocket too. (Sure it has, and you cannot even ride the bike like that)
Here you have 2 choices only.
1) Continue to ride the bike with the tire and fender offset, and just ignore the misalignment.
2) Correct this problem by moving the rim over to the left and then final aligning the wheel. This is the correct choice.
A shop can do this with less than an hour and a half labor. If it takes them longer than that to remove the tire, move the rim, and then install the tire back on they should not be doing this type of work.
This can also be done at home by yourself, if you want to do something mechanical and learn at the same time.
For tools....... you need 2 tire tools to remove the tire. You need a good quality spoke wrench that fits the nipples on your wheel.
The stated goal here is to center the rim over the center of the hub and sprocket.
All it amounts to is loosening a nipple on the right, and then tightening the next nipple on the left by the same amount.
Go around the wheel working with no more than a quarter turn at a time on each nipple. Be certain you loosen 20 spokes on the right and tighten 20 spokes on the left by the same amount of turn. This keeps the rim aligned (for runout) as the rim moves over to the left.
The rim will be pulled over to the left as you go around. If the first 360 rotation has not moved it over enough, do another revolution (or two more revolutions if needed) and I guarantee you it will fit just where you want it to be in relation to the fender.
I can provide you better information on doing this if you want to do it yourself.
Otherwise, the easy way out is to take it to a shop, but then you are not going to learn anything and become more independent if you do that, are you?
....... pg
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
With my last post I wrote that up as your tire being offset to the right side, and needing to move it left.
If instead, the tire is sitting too far to the left now, the same procedure applies, just switch the right and left.
If I got your original post confused by the offset direction, sorry about that..... pg
If instead, the tire is sitting too far to the left now, the same procedure applies, just switch the right and left.
If I got your original post confused by the offset direction, sorry about that..... pg
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Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,441
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From: Heart of Dixie
I think I'd look at the struts and fender a little more closely before I messed with the wheel. Even if the fender is perfectly straight with the bike, a little shimming might move the fender over enough to eliminate the rubbing problem, and not look noticably off-center.
Last edited by 83XLX; Sep 29, 2009 at 04:41 PM.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,035
Likes: 17
From: Houston Texas
This problem of a tire not being lined up with the fender is seen often. Most of the time the problem is with the wheel, not the fender struts being bent.
Now if the owner has had the struts bent, then that may be different, but I am still betting it is with the wheel.
Wheel truing seems to scare off a lot of people. It should not. It is very easy to do, as long as you take a little time to learn how to do it. I learned wheel building while working at a bicycle shop, of all places!
Motorcycle wheels are the same animal, just a bit heavier....... pg
