Is your rear tire centered?

[Conkljm]

My rear tire is off-center, to the left (towards the belt drive) as I ride. I was told, "That's a normal problem with FXRs and the way they were designed." I'm now wondering how true that is after looking at some of the pics everyone has posted on the forum.

I worry because I hit some pretty mean "trenches" near bridges and I'm pretty sure the tire is hitting inside the rear fender.

At first I thought it was because of the spacer between the top of the Progressive shock and strut, but if the spacer was any smaller my belt pulley would rub the shock. The tire is straight, I'm not sure what to check next.

I have the Clymer manual, but it does not show the sizes of the spacers used.

[Unca Mike]

Ck

Sad but true. On my FXR4 anyway. Blows your mind doesn't it? Harleys.....!

[springer-]

All stock FXR's are like that by design. My 1983 FXRT is also like that but runs very straight and true down the road. It has never effected handling on my bike.

[CuMoFo]

Yeah, your rim is off center. Get some calipers and figure out the sizes of spacer you need to center the rim, on some extreme cases you need to buy a pully spacer to re-align the belt.

[Conkljm]

Originally Posted by CuMoFo

Yeah, your rim is off center. Get some calipers and figure out the sizes of spacer you need to center the rim, on some extreme cases you need to buy a pully spacer to re-align the belt.

Would the spacer go between the pulley and rim? I'm pretty sure they are bolted together right now, I'd have to look again to be sure. That would look really weird and I'd need longer bolts. However, if this is what you mean, then I could move the spacer from the right side of the rim to go between the pulley and rim.

Thanks for the replies thus far!

[springer-]

There is no need to change the wheel spacing or use pulley spacers unless you are running a larger than stock tire. If it rubs the inner fender or bolts then that is what likely needs to be addressed. If it is a wider than stock tire, a FXR wide tire kit works well. JMO.

[V-STRUM]

My '87 FXR's rear tire was centered, but after a major rebuild in '03 (new frame with original swingarm) my rear tire appeared off center, also sitting more to the left. I've used 2 different rear rims with no change, thinking that this was the problem. I thought the swingarm was bent, bit it's straight, the shocks line up with the top and bottom mounts on the frame and swingarm. The bike handles fine, the rear wheel doesn't contact the fender within the rear shock stroke. Many mechanics are puzzled when they look at it, no one can figure it out. Since it functions fine I just go with it. My only suggestion to the OP is to take the shocks off and lift the rear wheel all the way up to be sure there is no wheel/fender contact.

[Conkljm]

I definitely have contact. I'm going to check on my tire size, although I'm pretty sure it's just a little wider than normal. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking it was an Avon at 140 wide.

[springer-]

Originally Posted by Conkljm

I definitely have contact. I'm going to check on my tire size, although I'm pretty sure it's just a little wider than normal. Off the top of my head, I'm thinking it was an Avon at 140 wide.

The stock tire would have been a 130 (pizza cutter) tire.

[Quaddog]

my '82 fxr looks centered. I was running an avon 140 without any problems and after it wore down I put on a 130 dunlop but only because I got a deal on it.

[plugeye]

years ago i worked at an indy shop.
we centered the wheel on my fxr to run a 140 tire.
something like a .200" spacer added to the sprocket side & milled the brake bracket the same.

[springer-]

Here is a picture of my rear tire on a bone stock FXRT 1983. Compare the screw in the center of the fender with the tread.




This is the fat tire kit that centers the tire. No need to mill the wheel.



source http://vulcanworks.net/FXR-Fat-Tire-...set-p-416.html

[V-STRUM]

"Here is a picture of my rear tire on a bone stock FXRT 1983. Compare the screw in the center of the fender with the tread."

Yup, that looks like mine. I feel a little better knowing that this seems to be a somewhat common problem.

[springer-]

Originally Posted by V-STRUM

Yup, that looks like mine. I feel a little better knowing that this seems to be a somewhat common problem.

It is not a problem. It is the way it is suppose to be. The tire didn't shift, the shaft isn't bent, the swingarm isn't tweeked, the shocks aren't bad. It is perfectly fine and exactly as it was intended. It is only perceived as a problem because we are trained to think it should be in the center.

Now by it not being in the center there is more clearence on one side of the tire than the other. If a wider than stock tire is installed, the side with less clearence can rub. The fat tire kit move the wheel and tire to the right .300" and puts it in the center of the fender and allows for a slightly wider than stock tire. I believe it will acommidate upto a 150 with the stock fender.

[Conkljm]

Originally Posted by springer-

It is not a problem. It is the way it is suppose to be...

If a wider than stock tire is installed, the side with less clearence can rub. The fat tire kit move the wheel and tire to the right .300" and puts it in the center of the fender and allows for a slightly wider than stock tire. I believe it will acommidate upto a 150 with the stock fender.

Good posts everyone, thanks! I looked tonight and I was close. The tire is an Avon Venom-X, 150/70B18. Close to what I thought, but a little wider. My tire is off-center about as much as Springer's (thanks for the pics!) so I guess it's just the width causing the issue (TWSS).

Definitely going to check out the wide tire kit by Vulcan, it's much better than what I've found so far (replacing the whole swingarm, ouch!).