Harley spoke wheels

Ok, I looked all over the site a various threads and post about spindle mount wheels and using motorcyle part for automotive applications. Nothing really addressed my questions. Most of them say "Don't do it"
To begin with I want to build a small ecconomical street legal car for chasing parts for my shop. I have decided it will be powered by small gas motor(20/30 hp max) or an electric motor so a Golf kart would work but I want something COOL.
I want to do a T-bucket or a GN style car so I think it needs wire spoke wheels but want to keep it cheap. I aquired two 19" Harley front spoke wheels for under 50 bucks so that's where I am going to start. I have all the machines to turn the spindles down to the straight shaft configuration and I realize that the Harley Bearing aren't really set -up to take side loading created by spindle mounting and required for turning corners.
Can anyone tell me what bearings to use or how to set up the Harley bearing for spindle mount. Thanks, Paul

 

take the lathe and make new hubs to fit the spindles and re-lace the wheels.

 

That sounds like a lot of work if you don'lace wheels every day. Maybe you can find a small tapered roller bearing that will fit in the Harley hub. Depending on the year wheel, the bearing race area might be big enough.

Jaguar rear suspension tapered roller bearings might be small enough, not sure.

 

POSTED BY PLYM49
"Maybe you can find a small tapered roller bearing that will fit in the Harley hub. Depending on the year wheel, the bearing race area might be big enough."

Thats what I was thinking , but hoping someone here on the site knows which one to use.

 

Yeah, if i had the lathe id' make the hub and have the wheels laced. I could never get them to come out true. I'm just thinking about avoiding weenie spindles

 

Can you post the dimensions of the hubs, maybe a photo also? Might help someone suggest the right bearings.

We'd also be interested in seeing the finished car.

 

yeah, That s a good Idea. I will shoot some pictures of the wheel and post them.

 

you would have to turn the spindle to approx. 1 in diameter. What do you mean they won;t take a side load, please explain what you are talkin about. A motorcycle put alot of lateral force on a rim every time it turns. I think the biggest problem is spindle stength once you turn it that small.Brandon

 

I asked the same thing a while back and got nothing but bitching,,lol

The easiest wheels to work with are the pre 66 Harley Star hubs.. you will need to have a space and bearing for the inside and can use existing outside bearing


Here is a set up on Ford spindles using the earlier VL hubs

 

It's not as much the wheels I have a problem with but the use of motorcycle tires. The sidewalls are not designed to take those kinds of forces. They are designed to lean in a turn.

 

Have you taken your bearings out of the hubs yet? '90s and earlier HD's used tapered Timkens in the wheels.

 

lacing and true-ing wheels is not rocket science. I have done a bunch. The early Harley 16" wheels are what you probably want. Check with Buchanan's they may have hubs for cars. They made me spokes for an antique airplane ... Joe

 

A lot of Harleys use a tapered (Timken) bearing. You might check 73-99. I think I would be more worried about the side load on the spokes, especially on a 19" or 21" wheel, than the wheel bearing. The aluminum hubs are a lot narrower than the steel hubs too. 3/4" axles too.
Larry T

 

Completely agree, I thought the coment was directed towards the rim not the tire. Tire is not designed for that use. But then again I had a guy bring in his bike for a front tire and it had a car tire one the back, wish I still had the pic I took.Brandon

 

Re: Harley spoke wheels
<HR style="COLOR: #e5e5e5; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->you would have to turn the spindle to approx. 1 in diameter. What do you mean they won;t take a side load, please explain what you are talkin about. A motorcycle put alot of lateral force on a rim every time it turns. I think the biggest problem is spindle stength once you turn it that small.Brandon"

I think the wheel it self (steel) is strong enough it is just the bearing that are used in a motorcycle wheel are design to be supported on both sides.


Re: Harley spoke wheels
<HR style="COLOR: #e5e5e5; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #e5e5e5" SIZE=1><!-- / icon and title --><!-- message -->I asked the same thing a while back and got nothing but bitching,,lol

The easiest wheels to work with are the pre 66 Harley Star hubs.. you will need to have a space and bearing for the inside and can use existing outside bearing
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Well I was hesitant to make this post for that reason but hopfully there some other people here on the board who are willing to try what "won't work" Anyway, Little wing, don't you think I need to change to some type of tapper bearing.

 

Running a 155/15 car radial (Size is off the top of my head) on a custom scooter was a hot setup back in the 70s/80s.

Don't know how well it'll show up, but that's what's on this bike.



"...............Anyway, Little wing, don't you think I need to changre to some type of tapper bearing..........."

Have you taken the bearings out of the hubs? I think from 73 up (and that would include most disc brake "spool" type hubs) used tapered bearings.

 

Here is an old link

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69045&highlight=starhub

and exploded star hub,,after 66 they went to timken,,was rollers before then


Using them on my dragster,,but not sure how well they would do on a street car,,also if you run the 16x4 rim you can get firestone car tires for those ( ran them on my Servi-car )

 

in a light weight vehicle, you are never gonna load anything enough to have to worry about, and you can use the Harley tapered bearings in your hubs...

 

and heres a star hub,,just fit bearing into teh fat end the other end is 3/4 already.
Spacer ,,bearing,,go

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=357880

 

This was a 235/60 r15 on the back an import bike

 

I will pull, the bearing and look at them. They might be taper bearings , I just assumed the were not. I am not sure of the MFG date of the wheel but I am sure they are off a 2003 or later Bike.
I'm with Larry T , I thought running radial car tires on bikes was a big thing a few years back. Friend of mine ran motorcyle tires mounted on 16" 40 ford wheels, on the front of his roadster for years. I am not planning on any cross contry trips... just round town driving and maybe some swap meets.

 

OK, different setup. I'll bet it did handle a little weird.
Larry T

 

Star hubs on Ford spindles

 

Fairly sure the Harley wheels on my Lyndwood rail use stock Ford bearings on the 39-41 Ford spindles. I've been told they are Harly side car wheels. If anyone has a pair of the screw on dust caps I need a pair.

 

Couple VL folks repop them,,or try Harbor Vintage in VT

 

Lot of good stuff Little Wing.

Ya'll keep all the info Coming.

Larry T, Guess I will see you in August, there in Vernon.

 

what size is the inside bearing on a ford spindle? and the race OD ?

 

I am at home right now, but going to my shop later. I will see if I can get some pictures and measurements. I have some Ford Spindles but I was really leaning toward using Chevy spindles. I think they might make a cleaner set-up.

 

You can't do it with stock stuff. I just measured. The ID of the big end of a star hub is 1.75", the stock od of the Ford inner bearing race is right at 2" (maybe a tad less). There's not enough meat to turn the hub out. You might turn the spindle down and use a smaller Timken bearing.
Larry T

BTW. A Star hub is set up for a 5/8" axle.

 

or a spacer to drop to a smaller size ?