nvsteve, I'm not sure I can follow your lead here. First, I don't have a cush drive. So, I have to stick with a standard 'bolt-on' pulley. Second, I believe I already have the 32 Tooth trans drive pulley, and my plan was to drop to a 30T. I think I'm pretty sure I want to go with a 30T / 68T combination....which is a swap from the 32T / 66T where the bike is now in 'stock' configuration. You mention that you swapped from the 'stock' pulley to the 68T rather early in your ownership history with the bike. Did you not have a 66T originally? If not, what did you have? Likewise with the trans sprocket.....was yours not a 32T when originally purchased? And, in the end, did you go with a 31T / 68T as your final set-up? Thx, Tom D.

 

Yes, it was originally a 66/32. When the 08's came out they had a cush drive 66T and HD had a kit available for the 07s called IDS. I installed that kit Then I found out about the Japanese Sportster 68T pulley that accepted the same IDS system I added.
In 09 they were 68T with a different style cush.
Personally I think 68/31 is what you want but do the 68 first to see if you need it.
Somewhere on this forum there is a very lengthy post regarding this.

 

Had same feelings on our 07/08 UCs until SE stage II 103" (done correctly) and it was all good those bikes were so powerful didn't notice uphill or headwinds back then.

 

I had mixed results
added the cush drive kit to my 07 ,then changed to the 68t rear pulley(jap sportster cush sprocket) along with better compensator.......
road for several years and my final decision was to go back to the 66t cush sprocket.. In other words all stock except the kit for the cush drive kit(for 07's) and compensator upgrade.

conclusion over the years was even though it ran a little smoother in the low end with more torque,the top end suffered and gas mileage went significantly down. Having 98hp/105 torque and great tune at my disposal more then made up for the bogging symptoms in the stock form.and riding 75-85 was more bearable too.

I have the jap cush sportster 68t sprocket in excellent condition btw collecting dust on the shelf

 

I've pretty well made my decision here to 'start' by going with the 68T rear pulley, then going to the 30T front pulley if still in need of some further gear reduction for my ride style. That said, I'm not trying to sort out just which 'Sporty' pulley I need. Seems somewhere around '04 they started doing the 883s with a 68T rear pulley, but from what I can tell the belt width is 1 1/8". Is this a problem? I know there are issues with belt sizes, tire interference, and even pressure wear on the guide rings on front sprockets if belt is running 'un-true' and off center. But, if my stock belt is 1" and the rear pulley is good for 1 1/8"....then I'm wondering if that is actually OK? I know there's a 1/8" of side-to-side 'slop' there..... but if properly adjusted for tension would it not just find it's own 'sweet spot' and run 'true' on the 1 1/8" pulley? If not, then does anyone know what year HD started to run a 1" 68T on the Sportster? Tom D.

 

If I were you I'd take voodoodrug up on his offer of the 68T Japanese Sportster pulley with the cush. Use new bolts with locktite.

 

68T 1" Sportster Pulley on my 07 Flht, easy peasy

 

I just sent VDD a PM. Hopefully he can respond. He's actually not too far from me as I'm just south of Baltimore and I see he's in Lancaster, PA.....about 2 hours from me. I'm not much of a cold-weather rider any more. Otherwise I'd try to ride up and introduce myself.......lol. But, I'm still unclear about how this 'conversion' works? I think I saw a Sportster pulley with that cush drive in it on ebay. If I can 'guess' about this, it seems that the pulley has yet another bearing in it which, (and I'm still guessing here), becomes the equivalent of the spacer on the drive side? Then I suppose you bolt some 'cup affair with the casting to insert both the rubber (or what ever material they are) cushions and the 'prong' ends of the pulley hub....and that cup gets bolted to the wheel. And all this ends up 'fitting' in such a way that the alignment of the belt is retained and the 'drive' now goes through this cushion assembly? And, as I think I've figured out, in '09 this 'cush drive' became standard on the back of these bikes and the 'hub' is now actually cast into the wheel? I'n doing some 'wheel shopping' I did find what I believe is a 'cush drive' rear wheel.....and clearly.....it's 'different' from what I'm used to seeing for all these years!! But...'Live & Learn'!!! Anyway.....again, thanks to all for helping 'school' me!! Tom D.

 

The 07 up Sportster pulley is 1" & 68 tooth that's what you need.

 

I did this last winter except I went with a 31 tooth front sprocket and the sportster sprocket in back. I used the stock belt and adjustment is right in the middle of the adjustment. I will try to attach the spread sheet I made when I did this. At the same time, I rebuilt the swing arm so the spread sheet has more than just the gear change. I hope it helps. I am very happy with the improvements made. The 07 takes a different rear sprocket than my 08. Mine has the rubber parts. Your does not.