A number of 1972 Super Glide and Sportster models were produced with the front wheel bearing lock ring (11035) installed backwards which can result in the front wheel to be loose or the bearing (9009) to lock up. The retaining ring is flat on one side and beveled on the other and used on wheel hubs from 1964-1972 to hold the bearing in the hub. Affected Sportster VINs were (3A or 4A) 39624H2 to 50531H2. Some of the motorcycles affected were caught and corrected at the factory and affected dealers were notified also. But in case some of these motorcycles were already sold to customers, the MoCo treated it as a safety defect in accordance with the National Motor Vehicle Safety laws. The dealers were to remove all suspect front wheels and inspect the retaining ring and bearing for damages at a reimbursed cost of $2.10 for labor and handling each and reinstall the retainer with the flat side toward the bearing (beveled side out). ¹⁾

• From September 20, 1966 through the 1969 model season, a rubber tube flap (43148-67) was installed on the rear (steel wheel only) of Sportsters before the tube and tire were installed. ²⁾
• This new tube flap was also recommended as a retro fit to earlier model Sportsters. Consequently, the ’59-’69 FSM includes the installation of this flap with no specification of year model used on. However, this new flap did not make it into the 57-67 Parts Catalog or the 68 Supplement Catalog. It first appeared in the 1969 supplement Catalog.
• This is a wider rubber piece than the standard rim strip that extended from bead to bead and all the way around the rim. It rode between the tube and the tire at the bead area and between the tube and the rim at the spoke areas. This change was made as a safety precaution to provide greater protection against tube wear caused by the tire bead edge rubbing on the tube at this point under heavy operating conditions such as off rode or maximum accel / braking conditions.
• The use this rubber flap was ended with the 1969 year models with the introduction of the 1970 year model taper beaded rims and tires.

1975

• The MoCo experienced an increase in wheel spoke breakage on front and rear (FL & FLH models) and rear only (FX, FXE, XL & XLCH models), 16“ & 18” only. ³⁾
  • A 5% failure rate was predicted. As a precautionary measure, HD issued a safety defect for Sportster engine numbers (3A or 4A) 24439H5-48750H5
  • The remedy was to notify all customers to bring in their bikes to the dealership for testing. The dealer was to tap all spokes to check for proper tension, tighten nipples as needed to produce a uniform metallic sound when tapped. Any broken spokes while tightening required the whole set to be replaced.
  • If no damage was found, the dealer had to tighten and true the spokes (which doesn't require pulling them off the bike).

1979

• The procedure for acing 16 inch wheels changed to make them easier to lace in production. The relationship of the spoke flanges on the wheel hubs changed to match the new lacing pattern. Rims, spokes and nipples did not changed.

(Based on Ronnie's Microfiche) unless noted otherwise

FRONT AXLE

1979-1985 - 3/4“ Front Axle
43623-78 - Sleeve, bearing spacer - 4.564” (Violet)
43624-78 - Sleeve, bearing spacer - 4.550“ (Pink)
43625-78 - Sleeve, bearing spacer - 4.536” (Gold)

REAR AXLE

1979-1985 - 3/4“ Rear Axle
41563-77 - 3/4” Axle shank w/ 1-1/16“ Hex Head (with 5/16”-18 Nut w/ 1-1/16“ Hex Head, — Lock Washer, Washer)⁴⁾
9052 —– Bearing (Timken Tapered Roller)

• 1979 to 1981

43620-78 Spacer - between bearings - 3.937” (Red)⁵⁾
43621-78 Spacer - between bearings - 3.951“ (Green)⁶⁾
43622-78 Spacer - between bearings - 3.923” (Blue)⁷⁾

• Early 1982

43601-78 Spacer - between bearings - 4.420“ (with flanges)⁸⁾
43602-78 Spacer - between bearings - 4.434” (with flanges)⁹⁾
43603-78 Spacer - between bearings - 4.448“ (with flanges)¹⁰⁾

• Late 1982-1985

43604-78 Sleeve, bearing spacer - 4.420” (without flanges) (Orange)¹¹⁾
43605-78 Sleeve, bearing spacer - 4.434“ (without flanges) (Yellow)¹²⁾
43606-78 Sleeve, bearing spacer - 4.448” (without flanges) (White)¹³⁾

Click on drawing to enlarge:

Drawing by Flying Monkey of the XLFORUM 17)

• If your unsure of which hub spacer you need , the best way to find out is to mock up your wheel / hub and do some measuring: ²⁴⁾

1. Install outer races into the hub, make sure they're fully seated. Don't install any seals yet.
2. Clamp the axle in a vise vertically, threaded end up.
3. Put axle spacer onto axle. (doesn't really matter which one)
4. Slide 1 bearing onto the axle. (no grease or oil in the bearing)
5. Put hub/wheel onto the axle.
6. Slide bearing spacer onto the axle.
7. Slide the other cone onto the axle.
8. Put a spacer onto the axle that's long enough to reach the axle threads and still leave enough room to put the axle nut on.
9. Put the axle nut on and snug it up. (not too tight yet)
10. Lift the rim/hub and see if you have any end play.
    1. If you have too much, the spacer is too long and a shorter spacer is needed. You can try and find a shorter spacer or shorten the one you have. (a lathe is the best way to shorten it).
    2. If you don't have any play, the spacer is too short. Add shims until you get just a little play.
11. Once you have a little end play, torque the axle nut to 60ft/lbs and check end play again. Use shims to get your desired end play (shown in the FSM).
12. When you have the correct end play you can either: use with the spacer and shims that you have in there, or have a single spacer machined to the combined length of the spacer and shims.

See also Factory Tire Information
All front wheels are the same from '74-'77 ²⁵⁾

Front Wheel 1957-1985

See also Factory Tire Information
All rear wheels 55-78 will interchange. ⁸⁴⁾

Rear Wheel 1957 - 1985

Click on a picture to enlarge it.

19“ front (43522-77) & 18” rear (41037-77) 164)

1971 front and rear (Taper Base) rims from an XLCH 165)

This doesn't apply to Sportsters but the mystique surrounding the use of taper based tires/ rims apparently centered around 18“ and 19” rear tires. At this time, the wiki needs to find Harley Service Bulletin M-731 dated 6/20/78. ¹⁶⁶⁾ 18“ and 19” wheels affected:

• 43005-70 steel 18“ steel spool rear drum
• 43008-70 aluminum 18” steel spool rear drum
• 43002-70 steel 19“ '64-72 style front drum
• 43010-70 aluminum 19” '64-72 style front drum
• 42998-74 (250 C) aluminum 19“ aluminum hub front disc (made in Italy)
• 43018-73 steel 19” aluminum hub front disc

• Rim size and contour are cast or stamped into exterior surface of rim.
• Example: T19x2.50 CO DOT. “T” indicates the rim conforms to 'Tire and Rim Association' standards, 19 is the nominal diameter of the rim in inches measured at the bead center diameter, 2.5 is the width of the bead seat measured in inches, CO designates the rim contour, DOT means the rim meets Dept. of Motor Vehicle Standards. ¹⁶⁷⁾
• See also Factory Rear Rims and Factory Front Rims
• See Tire 101 for decoding sizes, conversion, cross reference charts, etc.

• Tapered bead rims, both steel and aluminum, were used on 70's model Sportsters. The taper was at the 'normally flat' area from the inside bead seat corner and the shelf edge at the drop towards the drop center. The metal 'shelf' tapered toward the center with a safety hump just before the drop down. It looks like it was a 'special package' buy from Goodyear with the rim included since you couldn't buy the tires to properly fit the rims anywhere else but them. ¹⁸³⁾
  • The special “C-Section” rims are identified by the following numbers stamped inside the rim:
    • Steel rims: Front 43003-70/19 x 2.50C, Back 43004-70/18 x 2.50C ¹⁸⁴⁾
    • Aluminum rims: Front 43010-70/2.50C-19, Back 43008-70/2.50C-18 ¹⁸⁵⁾