HarleyTechTalk

Quote from: tbird on April 15, 2025, 01:32:51 PMI've had my HF motorcycle tire changer for about 25 yrs. It has served me well doing my own tires. My question is can I use it on the newer bagger tire 180/55/18. Been told difficult or dam near impossible. Have never paid to have a tire mounted, used spoons pior. 70 yrs old so I'm not investing in a better machine, may only have a couple of rears left in my life. Anyone run into this?

These newer tires like the one you have is a PITA to get mounted even on the machine.
My front 130/60/19 is even harder! Very stiff, low profile tires are a challenge.

I have a tire machine with the proper assist arms that make it easier on my 77 year old body! LOL

Some of our riding group like to do their own work and we trade tools, etc as needed.

Good luck with just a few tire spoons!

Thanks to the mod for moving this to the correct forum and thanks for replies - so my gut feeling about being out past the lip was correct I guess.  The rotor actually fits fine (it's the spacer that has a wider ID) but the fact that the rotor would be nowhere near the lip makes that irrelevant. 

Can anyone recommend someplace to have a spacer made?  Now I need to decide to go that route or to lace the rim to a spare hub I have.

Thanks again for the info

I'd have a custom steel spacer made. With the thickness you need to space away from the wheel, and also an extruded flange to fit snug over the wheel's existing flange and fitting the rotor snug to the new spacer.   

From what I can see, the rotor inner ID is larger than the hub flange, so get a spacer machined the thickness you need with a flange to fit the rotor.

Not a good idea as the rotor can shift, broken bolts could ruin your day.

Hey all, been a while since I posted here.  I'm trying to fit (from what I can gather) an OEM EVO Heritage front wheel onto my '82 FLH.  Got the axle spacers figured out but the brake rotor would need a 7/32"-1/4" spacer behind it, which would move the rotor far past the edge of the flange's center lip.  Just wanted to make sure doing that is safe.  Is there a limit to how far a rotor can be spaced before it becomes an issue?  Sorry Google offers no answers except where to buy spacers/brake rotors.

Pics show protrusion of just spacer and spacer and rotor - ignore the mangled seal, it'll be getting new bearings and races when the tire is mounted. 

IDK why, but it just feels unsafe to me, but I also don't know what I'm doing.  Thanks as always!!

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  Machine a 2" or more perpendicular oval (or round offset hole) across between the 2 case halves in the oil holes to increase the volume. Then sleeve the machined passages with another oval (or larger round) liner and take back the increase in volume (added from the oval expansion) to what you started with.  Now you can cut your clearance as deep as the new passage liner sleeve.  Machine the cases to the desired cylinder spigot length (and width), then re-sleeve the cylinders with longer liners and add the longer cylinder barrels along along with with coated pistons to further abate piston rocking.     

Welcome from Texas!

I was looking for a work around to not have to remove and unplug for auto tuning

Google your model of HF's Motorcycle Tire Changers and see what they say. They offer adaptors that might help.
Twenty-five years ago your model may have been the only one they offered and it might work for car tires up to 17". Dunno fershur without more info on what you have.