Widest wheel and tire package on 1999 Softail Std?
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From: Somewhere in NE PA
Start with your frame rail width. That will determine your widest available possibility without cutting the rails.
Assuming your going to keep the frame rails as is, start measuring out form the imaginary wheel centerline and see what you have and what you will need for clearance.
I have run the late model 00 Twin Cam swing arms (up to where they went wider yet) on the Evo frames. Use the TC belt and pulley to gain belt to tire clearance. The newer belts are even narrower the the 1 1/8" 00 stuff. Still your frame rails will limit you.
We were installing 180's on stock framed 00's with a fender change and correct wheel/sprocket spacing.
If your willing to cut the frame horns off that will open up the width possibilities.
Assuming your going to keep the frame rails as is, start measuring out form the imaginary wheel centerline and see what you have and what you will need for clearance.
I have run the late model 00 Twin Cam swing arms (up to where they went wider yet) on the Evo frames. Use the TC belt and pulley to gain belt to tire clearance. The newer belts are even narrower the the 1 1/8" 00 stuff. Still your frame rails will limit you.
We were installing 180's on stock framed 00's with a fender change and correct wheel/sprocket spacing.
If your willing to cut the frame horns off that will open up the width possibilities.
Tourer
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From: USA
I'm running a 160 inside a 94 Heritage fender, so I believe that assertion is incorrect.
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Puzzled was the late model swing arm pivot bolt the same as the Evo's? Never had one around when doing things. Point here is gents a lot of Harley parts will interchange just like they did in the old days. Asking the clowns at the parts counter or service dept at your dealer will very rarely get you any good info. They are stuck on pushing their stuff in parts and and many MMI grads changing parts these days didn't know jack about Harleys before they went there.sites like this and club chopper and such hold a wealth of info.
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From: Farmington ,MS
Not all brands of tires are exactly the same, but 160mm is 6.29"...the inside of an unmodified softail fender is 6.75 not counting the mounting bolts or wiring tabs...not much room for error seeing few Harley fenders are exactly centered. So I will stick by saying 150 is the biggest tire you can safely put on an unmodified softail... hell you usually have to turn the fender mounting bolts around to put a 150 on there... after you cut a brand new tire from it scraping the fender, you will agree
Last edited by Tom84FXST; Feb 17, 2012 at 06:42 AM.
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From: Dayton
I guess if you can go 160, I can go 180.
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From: Somewhere in NE PA
That's strange because I'm running a 150 on my 07 Heritage and there's about 3/8" space on either side. Considering there's bolts and wires in there, a 160 would be tight (and the 07 and up has the same swingarm as a fatboy), but narrower fender and fender struts. Earlier models were narrower still.
I guess if you can go 160, I can go 180.
I guess if you can go 160, I can go 180.
The Evo bikes are narrower. The frames went even wider with the 200 series tire (whatever year that was).
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From: Somewhere in NE PA
Not all brands of tires are exactly the same, but 160mm is 6.29"...the inside of an unmodified softail fender is 6.75 not counting the mounting bolts or wiring tabs...not much room for error seeing few Harley fenders are exactly centered. So I will stick by saying 150 is the biggest tire you can safely put on an unmodified softail... hell you usually have to turn the fender mounting bolts around to put a 150 on there... after you cut a brand new tire from it scraping the fender, you will agree
When we first starting putting 180's on the early Twin Cam frames we would either use a thin nylock nut on the inside (similar to a jam nut) or install the bolt from inside the frame rails out. Later on we started drilling and tapping the frame rails and used them as the nut. The early Twin Cams mounted the fender between the frame rails as opposed to over them. We searched for a fender that would install over the rails. All of this to give us as much clearance as possible between the rails.
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Banned
Joined: Feb 2007
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From: Somewhere in NE PA
Puzzled was the late model swing arm pivot bolt the same as the Evo's? Never had one around when doing things. Point here is gents a lot of Harley parts will interchange just like they did in the old days. Asking the clowns at the parts counter or service dept at your dealer will very rarely get you any good info. They are stuck on pushing their stuff in parts and and many MMI grads changing parts these days didn't know jack about Harleys before they went there.sites like this and club chopper and such hold a wealth of info.
A lot of stuff crosses over. I wonder if a Rocker swing arm will go on a late model Softail.....
Tourer
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 324
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From: USA
Not all brands of tires are exactly the same, but 160mm is 6.29"...the inside of an unmodified softail fender is 6.75 not counting the mounting bolts or wiring tabs...not much room for error seeing few Harley fenders are exactly centered. So I will stick by saying 150 is the biggest tire you can safely put on an unmodified softail... hell you usually have to turn the fender mounting bolts around to put a 150 on there... after you cut a brand new tire from it scraping the fender, you will agree
The point is, you said that you can't go bigger than 150 "without cutting the frame horns and installing a wider fender". That is just not true, a lot of people are running 160 tires without cutting the horns or changing to a wider fender. After I called you on it, you back peddled, and now your story is that it's not safe? I don't agree. I wouldn't have anything on my bike that is not safe.
It's better to stick to posting things you know for sure to be actual facts. Spreading misinformation isn't helpful to anyone; it only serves to propagate ignorance.
That's strange because I'm running a 150 on my 07 Heritage and there's about 3/8" space on either side. Considering there's bolts and wires in there, a 160 would be tight (and the 07 and up has the same swingarm as a fatboy), but narrower fender and fender struts. Earlier models were narrower still.
I guess if you can go 160, I can go 180.
I guess if you can go 160, I can go 180.
Yes it is tight, but like I said, it fits and doesn't rub. Are you serious about fitting a 180 inside your fender, or were you just being sarcastic?
Last edited by str8jacket; Feb 17, 2012 at 11:23 AM.