Hey guys, been lurking for a while, but just joined because I can't figure out a problem I'm having with my wheels.

The bike is an 1993 883 sporty. I had the wheels powdercoated and the bearings replaced. They're the cast aluminum wheels, not the wire wheels.

Anyway, when I got the wheels back from the bearing replacement I tried to install the wheels back on the bike. This is something I've done a hundred times on Hondas, Triumphs, etc. for other people and no problems. This is the first time I've done it on my sportster though and everything's giving me a hassle.

The front axle doesn't seem to extend far enough through the fork, as if the spacer is too large or it's not seated far enough into the hub. When I thread on the nut onto the axle it only threads about halfway through the nut and that's it. The axle clearly has to push further through, but it won't and I can't figure out why. It seems to me the bearing isn't deep enough into the hub, or the spacer is wrong.

For the rear wheel, it seems like I'm simply missing spacers!

I know this is a lot of info and I probably seem like a chimp, but if anyone can help I'd really appreciate it.

I guess if I could get a parts fiche for the front and rear wheels to see if maybe the guy who put the bearings in lost a spacer, or width of spacers front and rear, or really anything anyone might be able to think of I'd truly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance guys.

 

Did you remove the wheels from your Sporty yourself? If so you should have all the parts you need! Replacing the bearings won't change how far the axle goes through them.

Take the wheel out and fit the axle in the forks, to check it goes in correctly and the threaded part sticks out enough. Push the axle through the wheel, to check it goes through, with the wheel out of the bike. If it is like my bike, there is no spacer on the side the larger diameter of the axle goes.

Do you have a front wheel driven speedo drive? If so that can hold things up a bit.