new wide glide front
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
AWESOME to know! I had a deal worked out to buy another member's Forty Eight wheel, but he hadn't returned my messages. I have no problem relacing a wheel to have it powder coated black... I think I just found my option #2. What years RK will work? What size wheel is that (diameter and width)? Thanks again for the advice!
Last edited by TennesseeMustangPerf; Dec 11, 2011 at 11:34 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 35
From: Gulf Breeze, FL
AWESOME to know! I had a deal worked out to buy another member's Forty Eight wheel, but he hadn't returned my messages. I have no problem relacing a wheel to have it powder coated black... I think I just found my option #2. What years RK will work? What size wheel is that (diameter and width)? Thanks again for the advice!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,828
Likes: 8
Can I use the RK hub and bearings or will I need to lace the new spokes and rim to my old Nightster hub? Also, did you use an off the shelf spacer set, or did you cut your own?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 2,158
Likes: 35
From: Gulf Breeze, FL
So any 2000+ HD wheel will work for the conversion? Hummm... I think I have been rekindled to do the project this winter, thanks! The cost of the Forty Eight front wheel is more than that of a Road King or Softail, and I am cheap right now.
Can I use the RK hub and bearings or will I need to lace the new spokes and rim to my old Nightster hub? Also, did you use an off the shelf spacer set, or did you cut your own?
Can I use the RK hub and bearings or will I need to lace the new spokes and rim to my old Nightster hub? Also, did you use an off the shelf spacer set, or did you cut your own?
I used the hub and just swapped bearings/bearing spacer to 3/4" which is what a '07 front axle is...for a '08 and above one would use 25mm parts. Best case scenario is to find a complete bare wheel cheap...lots of them out there.
I used the Vulcan triple tree kit which enabled me to retain the 39mm tubes... http://vulcanworks.net/store_4/produ...&cat=11&page=2 ...it comes with all required spacers and hardware for a perfect fit. What I really like about this kit is it uses "camloc's" instead of pinch bolts...very slick looks and easy to take apart as often as you want.
For instance...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/HARLEY-DAVID...sories&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Harley-...sories&vxp=mtr
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-David...sories&vxp=mtr
Last edited by rickss69; Dec 12, 2011 at 05:29 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,166
Likes: 7
From: NY
I used the hub and just swapped bearings/bearing spacer to 3/4" which is what a '07 front axle is...for a '08 and above one would use 25mm parts. Best case scenario is to find a complete bare wheel cheap...lots of them out there.
I used the Vulcan triple tree kit which enabled me to retain the 39mm tubes... http://vulcanworks.net/store_4/produ...&cat=11&page=2 ...it comes with all required spacers and hardware for a perfect fit. What I really like about this kit is it uses "camloc's" instead of pinch bolts...very slick looks and easy to take apart as often as you want.
I used the Vulcan triple tree kit which enabled me to retain the 39mm tubes... http://vulcanworks.net/store_4/produ...&cat=11&page=2 ...it comes with all required spacers and hardware for a perfect fit. What I really like about this kit is it uses "camloc's" instead of pinch bolts...very slick looks and easy to take apart as often as you want.
I did basically the same as Rick, only I've got the black version of the Vulcan triple clamp set. $457 dollars complete with all spacers, axel and bearings. They even throw in a rotor spacer and bolts to cover the bolt holes on the right side of the rear wheel which aren't used on the front of the Nightster. I'm using a 16x3 inch rear wheel I bought off ebay for less than $100, so the hub has bolt holes for the rear sproket on one side and the brake rotor on the other. The spacer and the bolts to hold it are being powder coated along with the entire wheel and will provide a clean look to the front end when installed. Hopefully.
My reasoning behind doing it this way (going wide glide instead of mid glide) was this - the Vulcan triple clamp wide glide conversion for 39 mm forks is the same price as the mid glide set. If you go with a mid glide you have to use the stock Nightster/Sportster hub from your OEM wheel because the hub on a 16" rear wheel won't fit between the forks on a mid glide. The mid glide conversion involves buying a 16x3" rim (plenty on ebay) and then buying a set of new spokes that will allow you to relace your stock hub into the 16" rim. You remove the old front hub and relace it into the 16" rim then find someone to true up the wheel and either run it that way or paint/powder coat it, whatever you choose. The point is, it was about $100 cheaper and less work to go with a wide glide than the mid glide because you don't have to dismantle your old front wheel, buy new spokes and then have the wheel relaced/trued.
Now if I could just get the wheels and forks back from the powder coater...
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