Is anyone familiar with fitting a non standard wheel to a sportster? Tips?

[Muldoonsghost]

I'm in the UK and I recently bought an old 1988 1200 Sportster that was imported from NY. I've never ridden it yet sadly but I'm refurbishing it to UK standards and regs.

It has a cast rear wheel and I now know it's not standard, I'm told it's from a 90-99 Fatboy. I've taken it out, replaced the bearings, new tyre, removed, cleaned and regreased the swingarm bearings. Now I've put it back in and... nothing lines up! The rear sprocket is about a 1/2" to the left of the front and there's a gap where it looks as if there should be a spacer on the left of the axle. I have tried to be meticulous is putting components into trays and I had a good clean up yesterday to make sure I haven't misplaced a spacer. Maybe I'm messing it up, maybe I've lost a spacer, maybe it was a bodge when I got it.

Whatever, I need to line it up and get correctly fitting spacers made, I need to move the wheel a little right along the shaft. There is space, but will that misalign the brake disc? I'm also told this is a common practice, but I've no idea why. It's ugly as sin in my opinion.

Can anyone provide some tips or warnings?

Many thanks.

Harley Tax.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/pnd8TvMDzDDitfr88

[Muldoonsghost]

Additional info. I've just removed the spacers I do have and measured them. I have 2 identical 3/4" wide spacers which are the two that sit directly against the bearings inside the dust seals on the wheel. I have one other spacer, 5/8" wide. With the wheel on the axle and just the 3/4" spacer fitted, I've used a straight edge to line up the sprockets. (I aligned the wheels with each other first). I'm pleased to note that the gap appears identical either side and the wheel looks central on the bikes axis like this. I don't have a good set of inside calipers to measure the gap but using paper and pen then measuring, it looks as if I have a total of 1.2" (1 1/4"?) slack. So 2 x 5/8" spacers seems the best bet, one each side. I bet I've lost one! Now to find one but there's no single spacers I can find locally. Sigh.

Thanks for reading this long wall of text. It allowed me to vent and think through my actions.

[Coff 06]

Maybe a stupid question but does it change if you flip the wheel over? Meaning trying it with the valve stem on the opposite side.The hub may not be in the center of the wheel. I know it's kind of a long shot but 
         Coff 06

[Muldoonsghost]

Maybe a stupid question but does it change if you flip the wheel over? Meaning trying it with the valve stem on the opposite side.The hub may not be in the center of the wheel. I know it's kind of a long shot but 
         Coff 06

I see what you mean, swapping the disc and sprocket on the hub. Are the mounting points identical on both sides of the wheel? I like the idea but I still would have a wheel sliding left to right and back along the axle. Not ideal. No, I've lost (or the previopus owner lost) the spacer and need to get one or have one made.

Thanks.

[JBarrettB]

Swapping wont work bolt sizes are different.
Short spacers in the lip seals and the other on the sprocket side.
Caliper bracket in place?

JB

[Muldoonsghost]

You got it in one. I haven't got the brake bracket on. 

My first HD but no excuses. Thank you.

[roadkingdresser]

Just out of curiosity,what did you pay for the ride?

[sharkoilfield]

Curious about price too; old XL's don't seem to be worth crap over here, but some of the foreign prices (esp Japan) are unbelievable