I have a 2001 9 spoke mag wheel, and want to put on my 08 ultra. The tube spacer will not fit inside the hub due to the different axle sizes. My questions are is it safe to drill out the hub in order to fit my existing 25 mm tube spacer? And if so what size drill bit would I need to bore it out? Thanks.

 

Hole won't be a problem.. You will need to re-space the wheel bearings if front. Front will need a spacer under the left bearing (rear under the right)..Spacer is from an 08 Ultra. Rear will require measurements and external spacers. Drill the hole 10-20 thou larger than the spacer. You only need enough clearance to allow the inner spacer to rotate and clear. Too much and you can have problems getting the axle to fit through the center spacer if the spacer is loose between the bearings.. There is a guy here that documented this stuff real well. Hopefully he will see this..

 

From your earlier Thread HERE
I see that you found out that the 2001 Rear wheel (2000-01) is set-up for 3/4" axle/bearings.


It appears that the factory hole is approx .050" larger than the 1"/25mm Spacer Sleeve (approx .020-.025 clearance "all the way the around" the sleeve)

The Sleeve is 1-1/4" OD, so if you're going to drill it yourself and considering "bit" availability...a 1-5/16" bit should work for you (~.031" (1/32) clearance "all the way the around") otherwise a machine shop can make it any size.


** Make sure you re-use your original 08 sleeves and bearing shims in that 01 wheel (or get new ones). You'll also be re-using your original 08 wheel spacers spacers.



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I've modified a softail wheel to take larger bearings and spacer, in fact there was a time when RK owners were swapping cast wheels for their old wire wheels and doing just that, to go from 3/4" to 1" bearings.

 

Does anyone know how hard this would be to do at home by hand with a regular drill motor

 

It's a very big diameter hole and I personally wouldn't attempt it without a pillar drill. The hole needs to be truly vertical to the rotor face on the hub and dead straight. I took mine to my local Yamaha dealer, just down the road, who has a proper workshop where they race prepare bikes and are accustomed to doing good quality work.

 

More Info? ... What wheel is it? ... Some are No Big Deal to enlarge

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it is a 5 star HD wheel I was told it came off a2004 Fat Boy

 

5 star? ... maybe a Thunderstar?

What year/model bike are putting on? Front or Rear?

 

sure thunderstar put on 2014 heritage front and rear