Just got an 06 that started out life as an 883R. Supposedly it has Nightster forks, along with Nightster wheels, but the forks were turned down and they have 5.5" of travel, thrown into Paughco 3 deg. trees. I know they did fork springs as it is stiffer than my 08 Nightster with Progressive springs, but how did they get the extra 1.5" of travel?

I know that through 06 they had 1" front and 3/4" rear axles, then in 07 went to 25mm front and rear. I'm trying to figure out what they did to make the wheel set work. I know they spent $1,800 in labor alone on this thing and that some parts were turned and spacers, etc. made.

My rear axle has the 3/4" threads and nut, but the drive side also has a nut on it that is tacked into place with a weld. Does this sound like the stock 3/4" axle or is it possibly a modified 25mm axle? I'm wondering if the swingarm and rear brake are 06 or 08. The caliper and pads look identical (while assembled) to my 08 Nightster, but H-D has two different part numbers for rear pads for 06 & 08. I ordered pads, but forget which year I ordered for. They are 42836-04A.

Anyone familiar with this conversion that can help me figure this out? I can see turning down the 25mm axle and threading to make everything work, but it doesn't look to me like they had to with the amount of room in the swingarm cutouts. I don't get it.

 

04 models have 3/4" axles front and rear.
05-07 models have 3/4" front and 1" rear axles.
08 up models have 25mm (hollow) axles. I don't think I'd try turning them down.

If your description and measurements are accurate, what you've got sounds like someone's "home-brew" special, not any kind of standard conversion.

 

Thanks man, but now I'm really confused...hahaha. I need to measure the diameter of my axles I guess, I was just going by what they told me the rear flange nut was which was 3/4". It is p/n 8039. Closest socket I can get to fit is 1 1/8" but it is sloppy. 1 1/16" doesn't fit and my local hardware stores carry 27mm and 30mm, but no 28 or 29.

I will take and post pics this eve.

 

+1 on some pics.
The standard rear axle is a bolt, hex head on one end and threads on the other end. The threaded end gets a castle nut and cotter clip.

 

04-06 Rear Brake Kit (Sportster): 42836-04A

07+ Rear Brake Kit (Sportster): 42029-07

Apparently they are the SAME pad with a different compound, but I have no idea which is which or why other than some have reported weak braking with 07+ bikes and better braking and feel in 04-06. I do know that I have never locked my 08 rear, just chirped once, but in the 100 mi. I have put on the 06 I have already locked it into a several foot skid. Maybe the older pad is softer, but no idea why H-D wouldn't supersede the old part for the new.

 

Thanks again. Both my 06 and 08 have a hex flange nut with retainer clip rather than castle nut with cotter. My 8039 is stock 06 axle nut so I believe I am running a stock 1" axle, just not sure how they addressed the smaller 25mm Nightster hub, unless it's a simple as a bearing swap. I did get a box of parts with what looks like a wheel bearing in it so hopefully that's all that was required. I will dig it out and measure it as well, but it does make me wonder where the other 1-2 bearings went.

 

The axle sizes can be changed by swapping out the wheel bearings, but the axle holes in the forks and swingarm would have to correspond with the axle size being used.

 

In the process of taking good macro pics and using a good flashlight, I think I figured it out.

Looks like I have the 06 1" swingarm with matching brake setup and axle. The rear master cylinder calls for DOT5 and the front, from wrecked Nightster donor, says DOT4. Also looks like they replaced the bearings with matching 1", but they look to be about 1/8" wider than the ones in my 08's Nightster wheel, so they had to shorten the axle spacers.

Luckily, minimal modding, but I did notice something that seems odd. On both bikes the drive side rear axle spacer fits tightly in the slot in the swingarm on the smaller, outside part...but loose with no contact on the wider, inner section of the slot. However, on the left side of both bikes, there is no contact inside the swingarm slot, inner or outer. Probably double the gap on the 06.

What should I do with the DOT5 setup? Flush it and convert or flush but stay with DOT5? Seems like I read something about issues with the DOT5 Sporty setup a while back.