Cast wheel fitment

Hodgie

Hodgie

Registered User
Bike is 1998 xlh 883 Sportster.
Currently has original spoke wheels.

Planning to fit either 9 or 13 spoke oem cast wheels.
Trying to identify the correct cast wheels that will fit without pissing about with bearings and spacers.
Question is, should I be looking for 13 or 9 spoke wheels ??
Does any of the 13 spoke cast wheels use tapered 3/4" bearings ??.
TIA
 
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I've been offered a pair of 13 spoke oem cast wheels, believed to be from a 98 soortster. I'm told the rear wheel has 3/4" bearings.
The front however apparently has 1" bearings !!!!!
If I've understood the research I've done, the 13 spoke cast wheels were 1996 up. The bearings used being a 3/4" Timken bearing up to 2000, which then went to 3/4" sealed bearing up to 2005 when it became a 1" sealed.

Question.....
Is it possible for the front (believed to be 1998) 13 spoke wheel to have been converted to accept a 1" axle????
If so, how would this have been done and is it reversible to return to a 3/4" Timken bearing???
The guy selling cannot answer this. He bought the wheels to use on his 2005 sportster whist he had his original wheels coated. Never ended up using the ?98 cast wheels on offer. He did try the front in his bike which accepted the 1" axle and fitted without issue.
Very confusing yes.
 
Yes its an easy change back to do done a couple on builds with different front ends just get the bearings and spacer for your axle and install em and use the original outer spacers to sort the disc alignment the wheel will pop straight in no probs you can choose the bearing you prefer ie taper roller or sealed just remember to use correct center spacer and outer spacers if you go over to sealed bearings from a later set up as they all changed with the change over 👍
 
Just an afterthought some hubs with 1” axle fitted from earlier bikes may have the center hole in the casting enlarged to get the center bearing spacer in as its od is larger some but not all of em but it will make no difference with the axle through if coming back to 3/4 as the spacer only presses up against the center of both bearings to prevent center overloading and causing failure due to over tightening the axle nut by a gorilla with no mechanical sympathy :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO:
 
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