21” front wheel on FLH shovel

[DavidS]

Hey guys, I’m looking to change up my frontend to a 21”. I just love the look.
Base line I’m starting of a 1980 FLH shovelhead.
The rim is going to be narrower, so I guess I need different spacers for the axle, what’s the deal with the brake disk? Do i have to get a different one? Looking at al those 21” out there it looks to me that there is not much space between front fender and lamp housing / lower tripple tree. What was done to those don’t ends? Lowering kit? How dose a front end like this perform now?
Lots of questions... if anybody did that conversion already let me know, show some pictures and maybe some step by step pictures u my have taken...
that’s my bike

thx

That’s how I want to have it

[Guest]

You really just need a wide glide 21” wheel and work out the spacers and rotor depending on year. I keep using later sealed bearing wheels because I find them cheap.

[DavidS]

That’s it? Sounds to easy to bet tru...

[Guest]

If you stick with the same era wheel it’s simple. The hubs are the same.

[JBinNC]

That’s it? Sounds to easy to bet tru...

The four speed big twins are very modular, so changes between models of the same or near years is relatively easy. You could put the '80 - '99 FXWG wheel on there with your rotor & caliper, or spoke a 21" rim to your hub. Or as Sam suggested, use a later ball bearing wide glide wheel, for which you will have to bore your brake rotor to fit, and work out the axle spacers.

Jim

[DavidS]

Thx guys. I’ll see what’s available in my area

[andri]

You could even spice things up a bit and find a new rim and lace it up to the hub you already have..

It can be a little mind boggling at first, but if you have a manual it's fairly straight forward. And I bet youtube has a few videos on it also.
Once you have it laced up, you could have a shop true the wheel if you are not up to doing that yourself.

[Tattooo]

Are you planning on changing the wide fender out for a narrow one?????

[DavidS]

I guess, the narrow wheel would look weird with a wide fender