Want to put front and rear 2000 and up wheels with sealed wheel bearings on a 1999 heritage softail that would normally be non sealed bearings. Any one done this, know it's not a problem and happen to know what spacers are needed so I can preorder everything. Custom fat spoke with new pulleys and rotors too is the plan for a 2000 and up

 

Subscribed. I'm looking at doing the same thing. Here's what I've heard so far. The rims I've seen so far are 3.5" versus your 3", but you can put the stock tire size on the 3.5 so no problem there. The wheels I've seen look like they are fitted with 1" bearings and come supplied with a 1x3/4" sleeve for a 3/4 axle, like the 99 has. Specifically I'm referring to Ultima King Spoke wheels. The supplied bearings are of questionable quality if you can believe what you read, and if you're replacing them anyway you can put 3/4" bearings in them in place of the 1". They do not come with spacers. The 99 rotors and pulley will not fit, so that will add to the cost. I haven't found many bad reviews on them, for the cost they are of acceptable quality. Look up jireh cycles, the have a website and an eBay store. About 30% of the cost of Ridewrights.

 

You're planning to do a custom build, so are unlikely to get the info you need "so I can preorder everything", that isn't going to happen! On the other hand, with a little determination you can probably do what you want. I have sealed bearing wheels in my 1990 Glide, but there is no easy bolt-in solution IMHO.

I changed the rear swingarm and brake caliper, as I suspect you will have to as well. The reason is that your rear wheel hub and brake rotor are quite different to the 2000 models. Check details on-line here and come back with any queries.

 

Graham, aren't you comparing apples to oranges? Wasn't your swingarm change on a touring frame? I didn't know you had a Softail.

 

John, you're right, I don't have a Softail and didn't word that post too well, sorry about that! The Softails up to 1999 have a similar rear caliper and rotor to the Glides of the same era, which makes swapping to wheels with the later bearings a challenge, as the later hub won't accept the early brake rotor. The early rotor is larger in OD and thicker than the later one, so the calipers are not compatible either, in addition the late caliper won't swap over to the early swingarm. That can most easily be overcome IMHO by swapping swingarm on the Softail, as well as on the Touring models. On my Glide I swapped swingarm, caliper and wheel and used entirely secondhand Harley parts.

Hope that improves things a little. I have since further upgraded to a Deuce rear wheel and Brembo caliper.....

 

I've done the post 2000 wheel to a pre 2000...you must use a matching rotor, ok you don't HAVE to, but the center hole is larger for the 2000 wheel an machining the rotor center larger would be more than a replacement rotor. the pulley you can buy a slim spacer with an adapter..the centering hole is larger to fit the 2000 wheel an the spacer lip is smaller to fit the early pulley. the 1" and 3/4" bearings are the same size except for the inner diameter so pull the 1" an swap in some 3/4"s...or you can use adapters but if they're cheapie aftermarket wheels the bearings may not last long anyway. I had to change spacers but I went with totally dif wheels...I took off FL wheels for a Deuce set. buy the correct inner sleeve for the wheel you want to use.