Can someone educate me on the differences between rear sprockets used on XLs through the years. I'm thoroughly confused.........I'm trying to properly fit up an aftermarket rear wheel to a -83 XLS. It now has a dished sprocket on it. I think the wheel was set up wrong because of using a dished sprocket for reference........causing the wheel to be offset to the left. After looking things over I think re-spacing the axle and going to a flat sprocket would make things right. Is this model and year supposed to have a flat sprocket from the factory? Some of my catalogs say it's flat and others say it's dished. I'd appreciate some education on these XL sprockets.
Thanks
Lew
My early 84 was a flat sproket, my 79 was dished the same as a big twin, im pretty sure you need to run the flat one,,,,,,,Dale
i agree with biker3r, I'm pretty sure '79 & up ironhead uses dished, same part as shovel.
mike
o.k. i looked up in j&p. says '73-'85 4spd BT and '79-'81 sportster use same.
of course pre '79 xl was drum
'82-'85 xl is different #, doesn't say flat or dished but i know shovel is dished and i thought spotsters were flat, perhaps only '82-'85 are flat.
mike
Thanks for the input guys. OK here's what I was able to gather the 79-81 XL uses an offset sprocket...the same as the big twin (except FXR). 82-85 ironheads use an offset sprocket exclusive to those model years. 86-92 uses a flat sprocket. All will bolt up as the bolt patterns and center cutout are the same.
Lew