centering rear wheel with juice drum

[firstripholdmybeer]

Wondering if there's a right or wrong way here? trying to center my wheel with a 63-66 Juice drum on a haifley pan rigid hardtail replica. This is for a 72 Shovelhead build.

..I've read a few convo's throughout the internet including one on CC regarding the topic. from what I gather, most folks center their wheel by measuring the distance between the hub and axle plates on either side and adding/subtracting spacers where needed.

I've also read starting at the motor, lining up the tranny to the motor, then using a straight edge from the tranny sprocket to the Juice drum face plate. From there you will add/subtract the spacers you need.

(also curious if anyone can recommend the lowbrow spacer kit for 17mm)

thanks for any help!!

[JBinNC]

With a drum brake your wheel sprocket position relative to the hub is fixed, so the wheel has to be positioned so the chain line is right. That takes some fiddlin'. Note that on all big twins with square swingarms, the rear wheel is offset slightly toward the chain side, the offset varying depending on model. I don't know for sure if that is true for the drum brake round swingarm models, but I suspect that it is.
When you get your chain line right, if the rim is not centered, one option is to offset lace the wheel.
The centering of the REAR wheel in a chassis is not an absolute (as the stock HDs are a perfect example), but with a light primary drive, the centered rear wheel will make the bike behave better. I think the offset to the left in HD big twins was to help balance the very heavy primary drive hanging off the left side of the bike (but I could be wrong about that).

Jim

[firstripholdmybeer]

thanks for the knowledge Jim. I was actually wondering about the primary effecting balance. anyways, I realized today I have the wrong spacers for my setup so I'm going to get that and go at it. Sounds like lining everything up will be the way to go. once I have the proper spacer setup I'm hoping that will do most of the work for me.

[10scDust]

firstripholdmybeer, as far as Lowbrow's spacers advice, they have a tech support guy if you call them.
His name is Todd, and he told me you can call even for things you did not buy from Lowbrow.
I have found you always get great knowledge and tips here at Chop Cult Forums, but for an unanswered question, there you go for another avenue.

[firstripholdmybeer]

firstripholdmybeer, as far as Lowbrow's spacers advice, they have a tech support guy if you call them.
His name is Todd, and he told me you can call even for things you did not buy from Lowbrow.
I have found you always get great knowledge and tips here at Chop Cult Forums, but for an unanswered question, there you go for another avenue.

Hey man I really appreciate that. I'll give them a call and see what they have to say. thanks man

[hillcat]

Straight edge from tranny sprocket to rear wheel sprocket. If your tire is off center at that point you would need Rr. sprocket spacers to center tire. that leaves right side spacer which would have to be measured.
Everything starts at the left side and sequentially moves to the right.

[firstripholdmybeer]

Straight edge from tranny sprocket to rear wheel sprocket. If your tire is off center at that point you would need Rr. sprocket spacers to center tire. that leaves right side spacer which would have to be measured.
Everything starts at the left side and sequentially moves to the right.

Thanks for the response hillcat. that's what made most sense to me. I've got a 63-66 spacer coming I tomorrow. so I'll see how that fits. according to my buddy it's either that one or the mechanical

https://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/2875-1-rear-axle-spacer-chrome-oem-41595-67-harley-fl-flh-1967-72.html

https://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/2867-1-rear-axle-spacer-chrome-oem-41595-36-harley-big-twins-1936-57.html

[Tattooo]

according to my buddy it's either that one or the mechanical

That's your only choices...... Unless you make it yourself that is.........

[firstripholdmybeer]

That's your only choices...... Unless you make it yourself that is.........

ok sick! that's what I thought. what threw it off for me is the distance between axle plates on the rigids mixed with a juice drum. I'm not entirely sure what the difference in depth is between the early juice and the mechanical drums are. I know my juice is 2 1/8" deep and have a friend getting back to me on the depth of his mechanical later today (just in case the spacer doesn't work out)

[firstripholdmybeer]

alright, so I got the new spacer in and tightened everything together finally. To the eye, it seems pretty centered and lined up well with the tranny sprocket.

Now for the next problem. the face plate doesn't sit on the lip of the drum. I can't imagine this is how it is supposed to be installed.

[Tattooo]

Now for the next problem. the face plate doesn't sit on the lip of the drum. I can't imagine this is how it is supposed to be installed.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]96334[/ATTACH]

You have a problem that needs to be fixed....... You have mix matched years or something is hitting or the spacer is wrong??????? But either way it won't run like that...........

[firstripholdmybeer]

You have a problem that needs to be fixed....... You have mix matched years or something is hitting or the spacer is wrong??????? But either way it won't run like that...........

I was thinking the face plate might be warped, but the distance is the same all the way around. the lip of the axle sleeve is level with the lip of the drum, I took a straight edge to it. then measured the depth of the drum and brake pad with faceplate and that seems right too.

The next thing I think of is that the axle sleeve is not supposed to be level with the lip's edge on the drum, but instead lower. wondering if you're familiar with the different axle sleeves for these drums?

here's the one I'm using:

[Tattooo]

wondering if you're familiar with the different axle sleeves for these drums?
here's the one I'm using:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]96348[/ATTACH]

I have no idea what your talking about..... LOL

[pan620]

You need to make a friend with a lathe!

[JBinNC]

From your pictures it appears that you have a '58 - '62 drum, or a later drum with most of the lip cut off. It appears that you have the correct backing plate sleeve, and the '63 - '72 backing plate.

I think you need a different brake drum.

No need to modify any of these original parts, if you have the right set of parts.

Jim