Reinstalling front wheel and spacing right fork
 

Hey everybody, when I reinstalled my front wheel, I just torqued my axle nut to spec and the slider cap bolts as well. My front end has seemed a little weird lately and I can't really explain it. One thing I noticed is my front brake rubbing a lot more even though I reset the caliper pistons and reapplied the brake. I read somewhere else off a google that you need to space out your front right fork from the right spacer correctly, but I can't find this in my service manual. They were saying use a 7/16" drill bit in the axle holes and pull your right fork just touching it. Then tighten down your slider cap nuts on the bottom of the fork to spec.

Anyone read this as well and does this pertain to softails? My service manual says nothing about spacing the right front fork correctly and using a 7/16" drill bit. I have an 07 NT. Thanks!

Dale

When you tightened the axle nut were the slider nuts already tight? What I've always done was to tighten the axle nut then allow the slider nuts where the ended up. I never force it in or out I would think that would bind up the front forks.

Spacers determine the rotor location of you wheel. Wrong one and the caliper and rotor won't line up. Once you determine the right spacer locations install the axle , torque it to spec on the left/rotor side. Wherever the axle on the right side sits in the pocket of the lower is what it is. Put the cap on and tighten it up. There might be a 1/16" gap between the right spacer and the lower but this is normal. Don't force the right lower toward the spacer or it will bind it. If you can remember what the factory gap was use that otherwise just snug it up where it naturally wants to sit. Just checked my fxstc and the longer spacer is on the rotor side and the short on the right side.
Ron

Whew thanks for good ol' "Search". Have the gap too between the right fork and the right short spacer. I thought I did something wrong. The caliper and rotor do line up. Got a three day trip that starts tomorrow.

Thanks guys

Hey I am new here.I have just reinstalled my front wheel after repacking bearing, replacing seals and new front tire on my 97 fatboy. I have noticed that I have about 1/8 gap between my lower slider and the spacer. I did everything to the book, but I didnt notice if that gap was there before I took it apart. I guess this is normal after what I have read here. I tightned the lower cap nuts, then torqued the axle nut, loosened the cap nuts and the right slider moved into postion. I then torqued the cap nuts to specs. Like I said I suppose this is the normal postion for this after what I have read here. Any other comments or suggesstions?

Anybody ever determine what the distance between slider and spacer is on the 07 Night Train? Its way more then an 1/8" if you let the leg sit where you want. There is nothing about a 7/16" drill in my book either.

Bump....

A dealer tech told me about the drill bit trick once, never used it myself. He said it was used to align the fork with the edge of the hole in the axle. I don't think it makes a difference. The gap at the right spacer isn't really a gap, there is a step in the axle at that point. The spacers are tight and have no movement once installed and properly torqued. I torque the axle nut to spec (use a large screwdriver through the hole in the axle to keep it from spinning if need be), then torque the cap bolts on the other side. Be sure to evenly torque the cap nuts. The gap between the axle cap and the fork lower should be equal on both sides. Alternately tighten them 1/8 to 1/4 turn each until the specified torque is achieved.

I wonder if this drill bit trick would keep the cowbells from skimming the paint on the side of heritage/deluxe fenders.

I have done that myself once what I did is I switched the spacers the two are not the same size, after that 'expensive' lesson I did learn to mark the right and left (by taking a photo before I remove) one of them is marked I believe (at least on my wide glide).