Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

Looking for some wrench help.

I have a 2002 FXSTS with the stock 21 inch wheel. I'm looking to replace
the 21 inch with a 16 inch wheel and tire setup. I've gone to a few of the
local H$D dealers and they all scratch their heads and simply try to sell me
a Heritage Springer front end or tell me that I need to replace the entire
lowers of the fork legs - which they say by the way will cost as much as
buying an FL Heritage Springer front end.

I've seen this done on other FX Springers with what appear to be only a few
mods such as losing the stock fender, different spacing and hub off-set -
unfortunately I have only seen photos of bikes in rags or online. This
appears to be very popular in Europe. I have also found a fender
specifically designed for this 21 inch to 16 inch swap at choppercycles . com
(part number 33884) but they do not sell the wheel, hub off-set apparently.
The fender is over $400 and I don't want to spend the coin if I can't find a
way to do the wheel retro-fit.

I do most of my own work on the basic stuff but lacing up a new wheel, hub,
offsets etc on a Springer front is above my pay grade and it needs to be
done right so I don't end up roadkill.

Has anyone out there done this or had it done? Any ideas are greatly
appreciated and if anyone knows of a good shop in the Northern Virginia area
that might tackle this, I'll throw some business their way. Thanks.

jedbug
mcbspr1hd@cox . net

Re: Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

> Any ideas are greatly appreciated

Harley's FLSTSB "Cross Bones" softail has a springer front end with a
16 inch wheel.

A service manual should have a "parts layout", and give you a good
place to start....

XSDBS

Re: Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

In article <ptZWj.6917$X45.2856@newsfe21.lga>,
"mcbspr1hd" <mcbspr1hd@cox . net > wrote:

> Looking for some wrench help.
>
> I have a 2002 FXSTS with the stock 21 inch wheel. I'm looking to replace
> the 21 inch with a 16 inch wheel and tire setup. I've gone to a few of the
> local H$D dealers and they all scratch their heads and simply try to sell me
> a Heritage Springer front end or tell me that I need to replace the entire
> lowers of the fork legs - which they say by the way will cost as much as
> buying an FL Heritage Springer front end.
>
> I've seen this done on other FX Springers with what appear to be only a few
> mods such as losing the stock fender, different spacing and hub off-set -
> unfortunately I have only seen photos of bikes in rags or online. This
> appears to be very popular in Europe. I have also found a fender
> specifically designed for this 21 inch to 16 inch swap at choppercycles . com
> (part number 33884) but they do not sell the wheel, hub off-set apparently.
> The fender is over $400 and I don't want to spend the coin if I can't find a
> way to do the wheel retro-fit.
>
> I do most of my own work on the basic stuff but lacing up a new wheel, hub,
> offsets etc on a Springer front is above my pay grade and it needs to be
> done right so I don't end up roadkill.
>
> Has anyone out there done this or had it done? Any ideas are greatly
> appreciated and if anyone knows of a good shop in the Northern Virginia area
> that might tackle this, I'll throw some business their way. Thanks.
>
> jedbug
> mcbspr1hd@cox . net

Spacing should be the same. 3 hub widths (narrow, wide, and bagger). And
you can always space the rotor some.

In the J&P dream book (for what it's worth), 1 hub shown for 2000-2007
FLSTC/S, FXST/S/D/B AND 2000-2005 FXDWD OEM# 43672-00

Get out your measuring stick and check. Verify axle diameter (not sure
what they did on those)

Only difference is I think the springer brake is on opposite side flip
the wheel over and bob's your uncle.(?)

Wheel first fender later.

It's summer! Whadaya need a front fender for? sfsf

--
Ryder Rick

Re: Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

Drinks on the bar for all for posting my ignorance on the binaries group.
Drink hearty lads

"Rick Begeman" <despaminator@yahoo . com > wrote in message
news:despaminator-3515A6.14093415052008@news.verizon . net ...
> In article <ptZWj.6917$X45.2856@newsfe21.lga>,
> "mcbspr1hd" <mcbspr1hd@cox . net > wrote:
>
>> Looking for some wrench help.
>>
>> I have a 2002 FXSTS with the stock 21 inch wheel. I'm looking to replace
>> the 21 inch with a 16 inch wheel and tire setup. I've gone to a few of
>> the
>> local H$D dealers and they all scratch their heads and simply try to sell
>> me
>> a Heritage Springer front end or tell me that I need to replace the
>> entire
>> lowers of the fork legs - which they say by the way will cost as much as
>> buying an FL Heritage Springer front end.
>>
>> I've seen this done on other FX Springers with what appear to be only a
>> few
>> mods such as losing the stock fender, different spacing and hub off-set -
>> unfortunately I have only seen photos of bikes in rags or online. This
>> appears to be very popular in Europe. I have also found a fender
>> specifically designed for this 21 inch to 16 inch swap at
>> choppercycles . com
>> (part number 33884) but they do not sell the wheel, hub off-set
>> apparently.
>> The fender is over $400 and I don't want to spend the coin if I can't
>> find a
>> way to do the wheel retro-fit.
>>
>> I do most of my own work on the basic stuff but lacing up a new wheel,
>> hub,
>> offsets etc on a Springer front is above my pay grade and it needs to be
>> done right so I don't end up roadkill.
>>
>> Has anyone out there done this or had it done? Any ideas are greatly
>> appreciated and if anyone knows of a good shop in the Northern Virginia
>> area
>> that might tackle this, I'll throw some business their way. Thanks.
>>
>> jedbug
>> mcbspr1hd@cox . net
>
> Spacing should be the same. 3 hub widths (narrow, wide, and bagger). And
> you can always space the rotor some.
>
> In the J&P dream book (for what it's worth), 1 hub shown for 2000-2007
> FLSTC/S, FXST/S/D/B AND 2000-2005 FXDWD OEM# 43672-00
>
> Get out your measuring stick and check. Verify axle diameter (not sure
> what they did on those)
>
> Only difference is I think the springer brake is on opposite side flip
> the wheel over and bob's your uncle.(?)
>
> Wheel first fender later.
>
> It's summer! Whadaya need a front fender for? sfsf
>
> --
> Ryder Rick

Re: Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

mcbspr1hd wrote:
> Looking for some wrench help.
>
> I have a 2002 FXSTS with the stock 21 inch wheel. I'm looking to replace
> the 21 inch with a 16 inch wheel and tire setup. I've gone to a few of the
> local H$D dealers and they all scratch their heads and simply try to sell me
> a Heritage Springer front end or tell me that I need to replace the entire
> lowers of the fork legs - which they say by the way will cost as much as
> buying an FL Heritage Springer front end.

Oddly enough, with all the permutations of Stokely and my inveterate
fondness for 16" wheels, I never ran a 16 on the springer. HD told me
that a 19 from a narrow glide wouldn't work and they were wrong. I did
run that combination for awhile and there are pictures around somewhere
to show it.

What kind of a wheel do you want to run? Laced? Alloy? It'll make a
difference. Laced wheels can be laced with an offset; alloys are
whatever you get.

Stock FXSTS come, or at least did in 1997 when I bought mine, with a
front hub laced offset by about 1/4" to the 21" rim, as you know. If
you run anything elss, the front fender won't work.

I don't recall using a brake rotor spacer to offset the rotor in my 19"
wheel. As I recall I was thinking about using a 16" wheel at one time
but it wouldn't fit between the rockers. I may well be wrong about
that, but measure it carefully. You need not just enough room for the
wheel hub, but also enough for spacers on either side of the hub to keep
the bearings off the rockers. You'll need room for the brake disk as
well unless you're planning to run no front brake.

I believe that the new HD springer model with the 16" wheel is running a
version of the FLSTS, which is wider.

Measure everything carefully and do your calculations. If it all fits,
all you'll probably need is specific sized spacers for your application
for the wheel and likely the caliper.

--

Spunky Hussein Tuna
radical ChristoIslamic fundamentalist Pescasupremacist...
but not at all bitter

Re: Help/ideas on fitting a 16 inch front wheel on an FXSTS Springer

Spunky, Thanks. I'm looking to run a standard laced 80. I looked at the
new FLSTS - Cross Bones ? and it is running a 16. they used a somewhat
different brake mounting, fender mount and the rotor is on the left side
instead of the right on the new x-bones. Frame rake is also different but
that does not appear to make much difference. Thanks for the info and
advice.