front wheel springer offset....

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Aug 3, 2011 | 08:48 AM

jsbridgew

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Road Warrior

Joined: Nov 2007

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From: south of Boston

front wheel springer offset....

can anyone elaborate on this?

i ask because there was an obvious offset in the front wheel on my 91 springer.... the hub wasn't centered to the rim...the rim was shifted over to the right a bit

wondering why that is.... because according to my measurements, if it WAS centered the only difference it would make would be to where the wheel sits under the front fender

for example, if i cut off the fender brackets....relaced the front wheel so that the hub is dead center to the rim, there wouldn't be a problem with anything

am i missing something?

Aug 3, 2011 | 08:58 AM

Jackie Paper

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From: Honah Lee

Sure it's not Harley's way of lining it up to the rear. I know my front is pretty close to being centered however. Bet it's the brake system you have. Never really ever checked to see if rear tracks perfectly in line to front. Lot of people talk about offset and some of these bikes differ. However yours like mine lines the rear to the pivot arm but mostly the engine since that affects drive belt track also since it's fixed in a Softail. Your brake system is different on front then mine and that may be the offset. Offset is not going to hurt unless your the type of person who like his fender neat.

Last edited by Jackie Paper; Aug 3, 2011 at 09:05 AM.

Aug 3, 2011 | 09:22 AM

jsbridgew

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Road Warrior

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 1,641

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From: south of Boston

i don't intend on running a front fender... so i could feasibly relace a wheel with a centered hub so that the wheel sits in the center of the forks and things should be fine, no?

the brake system would be the same because the rotor attaches to the hub...nothing would move there

Aug 3, 2011 | 09:36 AM

Jackie Paper

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From: Honah Lee

Not an expert here. I assume your back is within the +/- 1/32 alignment to the pivot arm center bolt. (got me how you are suppose to measure it. On my bike the nut on one side and the hex with a weld bead on top on the other side are different diameters and no center holes.) I just use my dial calipers and keep the spaces correct of the adjuster bolt that push on the axle. I also make sure my belt tracks correctly slightly to one edge of the large drive pulley. If I were re-engineering the front I would pull two steel wires one each side and measure to see what the front and rear alignment was and go from there.

Aug 3, 2011 | 09:47 AM

jsbridgew

Thread Starter

Road Warrior

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 1,641

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From: south of Boston

rear wheel is dead center in frame and belt is spot on .... took some trial and error to get things this way, but i nailed it

i don't know... i just want to do the same to the front end

thing is, bike pulled to the right a bit before i decided to tear it all down and do a frame off ... factory offset in front was peculiar, and just got me thinking about correcting it

we'll see

Aug 3, 2011 | 01:15 PM

Jackie Paper

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From: Honah Lee

See a lot of discussion on pulling but since we are only discussing a softail, if the rear is aligned correctly, turning the handlebars aligns the front. There is no toe in, camber but a lot of caster. If its pulling its probably wind or the way you are sitting or the road or a very worn tire with a flat spot across it. I'm like you however that it would drive be crazy if the tire was noticeably off center of the spokes and as long as you are not doing 100 thought the S's I would probably center it. However unlike you I would not be removing the front fender. You have a pretty rare bike and as little purpose as my front fender does, its better then none. HA. Be sure if you shift it you do it outside the spacers. You caliper is running on the hub but the inside is to center the caliper on the rotor. With 1100+ it bought time to post a picture of this bike.

Last edited by Jackie Paper; Aug 3, 2011 at 01:17 PM.

Aug 3, 2011 | 01:27 PM

Sam E.

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Joined: Aug 2011

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From: Colorado

I've had to loosen spokes and recenter spoked wheels many times to get the hub dead square with the hoop. Then as long as the spacers are equal and right everything should be right.

Basically you just loosen up the nipples on one side and tighten the other side spokes an equal amount. Run around the entire wheel loosening the spokes for one side say 1/2 turn then go back around and tighten the other side spokes a half turn each. Recheck and if need be go at it again until it's centered and square.

Last edited by Sam E.; Aug 3, 2011 at 01:29 PM.