Can i use 2011 OEM front Softail Deluxe wheels on a 2007 Springer Classic???

...The local H-D dealership said it won't work

 

Measure up the difference if you can. Most wheels are real close and can fit with a spacer or so. You will have to change out the bearings probably. The 2011 probably use a 25mm bearing and springer probably uses the 3/4 bearing. So the spacers that come in harley kit won't fit. If they don't have a machine shop you might have to take it to a machinist. Don't mess with existing wheel and take it with bearings to a machinist to make it match perfect. Don't gut out the bearings I made that mistake before.

Then check fender clearance with tire height.

It's not bolt job and most dealers aren't interested in too much custom work. Especially if they don't have a machine shop they won't want to mess with it.

Most can fit though if willing or want to bad enough.

Good luck.

 

FWIW, When I bought a Radial Laced wheel for my BadBoy, Hallcraft told me
that the wheel needed to be engineered and built for a Springer, that I just couldn't
use any old wheel.
Something about the extra weight of the frontend on the Springer.
A couple of guys on here took exception to this recommendation once before, but it was
my butt going down the road on the bike.
I would check into the wheel in question before I did it.

Harlie Rider

 

Harlie Rider,
You are right! Hiro (the mechanic at Harley) said he wouldnt do it because its not safe to do it. Now i gotta look for a used Springer OEM wheel...

 

Never heard of that... Sounds like an ol wives tails. The 3/4 front axle is what is the difference and handles the load. Don't believe everything you hear. Do your search on all aftermarket vendors including Harley. There is no such thing as a super stronger "springer" wheel. In the OEM catalog they might have a wheel that will fit springers only but it has to do with the OEM bearings and lining up properly to specific models.

Call around all the major vendors PM, ride wright, etc... Springers have been around a long time and no one has a product line called the "Springer" wheels. Have you not seen all the various springers out there and the various wheels on them? Look at the Bad boy Springers...they are on a spoke wheel 2.15 wheel at 21 inch. Is that made of super strength steel? Come on guys not true and don't always believe the dealers. I have heard the most crazy stories from those guys.

But do what you got to do. If that were true all springers would have the same wheels and limited options. If you ask me, please go talk to someone else that is more informed than who you are talking to over there.

 

Rockinred, thank you for your input. They told me, "The wheel doesn't fit because everything is different with the spacing including the actual hub size on the wheel, sleeve, and bearings."

 

blastonerski, This is correct... the hub and inner sleeve and bearings are different on many models (3/4,25mm, 1inch) are the Harley 3 different specs. So out of the factory, the wheels come with the inners for specific models on OEM. A dealer only follows instructions for wheels and spacers for specific models and don't know how to do any other way as they read it off a sheet shipped out of the factory with wheel. But any machinist or custom MC shop will take out the sleeve and spacers in the hub(if it came pressed out of facotry) and put in the bearings for whatever axle is required for install. It is very common and a simple task. My machine shop charged me $50.00 bucks to change out. I had the breakout wheels that were made for 25mm install for a 3/4 bearing on my springer.

As stated in first message, take the wheel you want to install to a custom motorcycle shop or machinist and they will put in the axle spacers, sleeves and bearings to fit your bike requirements press them and it will fit. There might be a few exceptions such as the hub depth and bearings, but as stated most wheels can be made to fit. The fitment is not something someone can just say it won't fit by reading off the fitment on the harley catalog. What the dealer are saying to you is the bearings that come from Harley are not designed to fit the springer axle and they don't custom fit it. It is not some cheap risky change out either. All it really is doing is changing out the bearings and sleeves and pressing it together just like required on an oem wheel that came with the correct spacers for that specific wheel. For example Harley made "x" wheel and the only spacers for "X" wheel are 25mm from the factory. Therefore this wheel will only fit "A,B,C" models that fit that 25mm and spacing. So they won't list the Springer wheel as an option. But as stated, any custom shop will just press in the correct stuff to make it fit the model needed. It doesn't have to do with durability of the wheel.

I have had this done before. my point is there are no "springer" wheels that are made different. Just the internals... these can be adjusted for any model with the exact same specs as the previous one, just a different internal axle size. There are a few exceptions because of the wheel machining and how the bearings fit, but even then there are options with reducers, etc...

Good luck. not trying to sound like a know it all friend. If you got a wheel you want to put on your bike, i say talk to a few installers in area or make a few calls to some custom shops and they will get you the correct information.

 

RockinRed, I know we discussed it before and maybe I misunderstood how you got the BO/Turbine wheels to fit. Did you just use bearings for a the 3/4" axle? I thought you had an insert machined to fit the 25mm bearing that reduced the inner race to 3/4".

Blaster - RockinRed is right. I bought wheels for my 03 Heritage Springer from Sinister Wheel. I told them my bike, mainly the year and family, and it came with the right bearings and sleeve pressed. I reused my stock wheel spacers in the stock locations, without issue.

There is no wheel that is special to a springer. As you know, the springer is just the front suspension. No special machining was involved in that case. But like RockinRed was saying, putting a wheel on a bike that it wasn't packed for from the get-go requires a bit of special attention.

 

Redbeard.... you are correct the 3/4 bearing was too thick to fit in the BO/Turbine hub. Once pressed in it stuck out of the hub about 1/16 inch on each side. So yes, I did have to use the 25mm bearings and have the reducer to 3/4 and then the machinist pressed all that with the 3/4 axle into the wheel.

The main point is that just about any wheel can fit any bike. As you stated it just takes a little bit work as it turns from a basic bolt on job to a custom application. Don't forget about raising the front fender if you get around to that. Just have someone do the fender arms so they don't mess with the beautiful paint.

Good luck guys.

 

red,
I agree with just about everything you said debunking the springer wheel myths.
id like to add:
the "super special springer wheel" the mechanics are referring to may simply be the fx springer hub which has a drive tang on the wrong side for the speedo gear (if im not mistaken).
also: fx springer wheels have a lot of offset to fit under the offset front fender. (my rims 5/16 off center on hub, ive heard other say theirs is more).

I am with you, you can make just about any wheel fit any bike with a few parts and little persistence! my springer front is an 80s non-springer 3/4 hub laced to a 2012 blackline rim and spokes.