21'' front wheel caliper problem
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
21'' front wheel caliper problem
Hi All,
I am trying to change my front wheel from a 19'' mag to a 21'' spoked wheel. I have a 1984 XLX1000 ironhead sportster. After months of trial and error and hunting for a wheel that would work, we thought we found the right one from Dennis Kirk. well, turns out, it fits, but once installed, the brake caliper hits the spokes. We called their tech support and apparently all that can be done is to get a shallow back caliper...of which no one knows where to find, other than trying to hunt down someone who custom makes them. And we have 0 leads on that.
I'm still in the process of learning about bikes, (so apologies of any of this terminology is a little off..) my dad is basically rebuilding this bike for me. The wheel was the last piece in the project. It's breaking my heart to have to go back to the 19'' mag wheel....the 21'' spoked looked amazing on my bike. Anyone ever deal with this issue and have any advice to making it work, or know where to find a wheel that doesn't have this problem? Thinking it's the issue of going from Mag to Spoke that is making it hard...
I am trying to change my front wheel from a 19'' mag to a 21'' spoked wheel. I have a 1984 XLX1000 ironhead sportster. After months of trial and error and hunting for a wheel that would work, we thought we found the right one from Dennis Kirk. well, turns out, it fits, but once installed, the brake caliper hits the spokes. We called their tech support and apparently all that can be done is to get a shallow back caliper...of which no one knows where to find, other than trying to hunt down someone who custom makes them. And we have 0 leads on that.
I'm still in the process of learning about bikes, (so apologies of any of this terminology is a little off..) my dad is basically rebuilding this bike for me. The wheel was the last piece in the project. It's breaking my heart to have to go back to the 19'' mag wheel....the 21'' spoked looked amazing on my bike. Anyone ever deal with this issue and have any advice to making it work, or know where to find a wheel that doesn't have this problem? Thinking it's the issue of going from Mag to Spoke that is making it hard...
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
we did yeah. to update my original post, we just called the harley dealer service dept for advice and they basically said the offset of the hub will be incorrect unless we get a custom made wheel. there isn't going to be a wheel we can buy that is going to just fit perfectly because my bike is so old, and they suggested Buchanan Wheels. Trying to give them a call, have a feeling it might be pretty darn pricy tho...
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 28
Likes: 4
From: Ohio
there is no easy answer here. The caliper contacts the spokes of the wheel. You could try to insert some rotor spacers. this will space the rotor out from the hub, but as the service dept suggested this will force the hub off center. it may not matter that much as now you are running a much narrower front tire and it could still fall in an acceptable, but not ideal, alignment. another option is to go with a hub off a softail, or equivalent. these have much wider hubs, but still three quarter axles. this will force you to change to a set of wide glide triple trees, but after all of that the rotor, caliper, wheel alignment might be correct. So that covers the rotor and the hub. You could possibly use a caliper off a different make/model/year. One of these might have a narrow back, that might clear. Start searching ebay and compare what you find listed to what you actually have. you will have to experiment and see what may or may not work. good luck
Tourer
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 354
Likes: 13
From: pennsylvania
when i bought my 6 piston hawg halter caliper for my 06 1200 low it was noted of possible issues with bigger wire wheels, i used 18's + had no issues. the skinny front looks good but braking + handling suffer for it!!!
Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
So the tire that is on it's now is the same width...so the tire won't be skinnier, just bigger. going from 19'' to 21''. I did some research and in '82, the stock bike had the option of either wire or mag. So there HAS to be a caliper out there from that year that fits both types of wheels... I know the brake system switched from right side to left side in '84 (the year of my bike), but just wondering if I track down a rotor from '82 maybe I can see if that would work..... I'm still just stunned at how difficult this is.
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Thread Starter
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6th Gear
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 12
Likes: 3
From: Michigan
looks great, but you have a newer model, i think they designed them for a much easier transition.... we got spacers and it did all align great. But...caliper was 1/4'' too close and still hit the spokes.
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Club Member
Joined: May 2019
Posts: 67
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From: Redding,CA,USA
I hope you get it figured out. I'd give more info if I could, but then my ride is newer and probably be different. I actually considered going to a wide glide front end, but that might another can of worms. Good Luck.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 12,233
Likes: 4,943
From: England
You would think 5 years later they got something figured out. I know on a 2008 bike with the correct models of wheels the hub spacing on the 21" spoked wheel and the 19" cast wheel fit interchangeably using the same outside spacers.
You can go to a mid glide front end straight away using the parts from the SuperLow.
You can go to a mid glide front end straight away using the parts from the SuperLow.