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Measuring for custom wheel spacers

Started by just plain john, May 19, 2019, 06:52:19 AM

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just plain john

I'm swapping my stock laced wheels on my 99 Heritage Softail for some aftermarket fat spoke wheels. How does one go about coming up with the correct sized wheel spacers?
05 FLHTCI

Hossamania

Put them on, center them correctly for the calipers, measure the gaps, fabricate or purchase spacers.
Or ask the wheel manufacturer if they know and have them.
If the government gives you everything you want,
it can take away everything you have.

koko3052


Langwilliams

I've seen where guys have bought a a bunch of washers an used them to center the wheel then measured the washer stack an ordered the correct ones.

IronButt70

Quote from: koko3052 on May 19, 2019, 09:39:42 AM
:up:
As Hoss said.
:agree:
When I changed mine the new ones came with the correct spacers. Manufacturer should have them available.
No one else put you on the road you're on. It's your own asphalt.

biggzed

Is there a reason you think the stock spacers won't work?

You could use the washer method mentioned already. You could also measure the hub width on both wheels before mounting anything. That will let you know if you're going to be different from stock and by how much. Mock up required. Caliper being centered on the rotor is critical. Have some shims for the caliper on hand.

Zach

Quote from: just plain john on May 19, 2019, 06:52:19 AM
I'm swapping my stock laced wheels on my 99 Heritage Softail for some aftermarket fat spoke wheels. How does one go about coming up with the correct sized wheel spacers?

Evo160K

Quote from: just plain john on May 19, 2019, 06:52:19 AM
I'm swapping my stock laced wheels on my 99 Heritage Softail for some aftermarket fat spoke wheels. How does one go about coming up with the correct sized wheel spacers?

Are the aftermarket rims themselves, not the rubber, the rims, wider/fatter than the stock rims?  If they are, that may require a bit of a change to the location of the calipers and/or the rotors. 

My understanding and what I did to my softail was to align the center of the rear wheel (complete wheel) on the center line of the backbone of the frame, then use spacers to get the caliper and rotor in the correct location.  Once done, the rear axel spacers can be determined and bought/fabricated.  The front wheel should be placed in the front fork according to the SM alignment specifications (taking into account if the front and rear rims are wider than stock), then the spacers bought/fabricated so the caliper and rotor positions are correct.  Once that's done, the front axel spacers can be determined and the spacers bought/fabricated.

Wheel alignment is somewhat of a mysterious subject from what I can determine.  Hopefully others will comment.




FSG

remove the front guard if you've not already done so, makes life so much easier

barny7655

what one does is measure the old wheel with spacers  internally, just  say  250mm  thats what the new wheel will have to bolt in at 250 mil , measure the  new wheel with out spacers  say its 235 mils, then you need a total of 15  from 2 spacers =250 mil, align new  wheel  rotor in  calipher centre, axel in ,not the middle of the pads, measure that side  , say 8 mill , then other one will be 7 mill making 15 mill ,that will allow for correct crush , to easy ,  i make my own spacers, but ask around you may find the right ones at a shop, cheers
riding since 62, BSA bantum the first bike