Rear Axle Spacing with Hardtail

[Rez Fink]

i have a 83 heritage special and just had a voodoo vintage hardtail welded on.

the there seems to be extra space.
- am i missing pieces?
- or is the hardtail spacing just wider?


i know im missing a rear chain tensioner but i dont know what else im missing. check out the pics below (hopefully they show up!!)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/115087645@N07/13154457525/

http://flic.kr/p/m3iT3t

http://flic.kr/p/m3q4ng

 

[neanderthal]

never had one, could be a wider rear. call voodoo they should have a quick answer for ya. can you try to get your photos to show up?

 

[ANLAF]

Rez Fink, yep, photos, please. I have two hardtails. Just taken the rear wheel off for a new tyre - the gap had closed two millimeters. Took it off again to weld a new cross beam in front of rear whee, not tension applied, simple arc weld - the gap had closed another two mms. Doesn't worry me I will fab some smaller spacers. The hard tail does pinch in when you tighten up, but really the gap should be no greater than to allow you to slide in the wheel and spacers comfortably, say with a gap of 1 mm either side. if in doubt get some specialist hardtail advice.

ANLAF

 

[Bucko]

if youve welded the rear of your frame up while the wheel is out the weld will distort the frame,no problem just stick a scissor jack in and open it up again!

 

[ippytattoo]

It is common to have to make spacers for hardtails. I don't see anything to troublesome in your pics. If you still have your swing arn you can measure the width of the axle plates and you will notice that the hardtail axle plates are thinner than the swingarm axle plates, this is why you have a gap between the adjuster and the axle plate. You may want to take a look at a parts fiche for the rear wheel as it looks like you have the incorrect spacer on the left hand side in one of your pics. You can either have spacers made or you can use (if I remember correctly) 3/4" washers stacked up to get the proper spacing. When you go to install the rear wheel make sure it is centered. If your a little on the OCD side you can massage the spacing on both sides of the wheel inside the axle plates so that they are the same with a little persuasion.

On my Ardtail I have 2 washers on each side of the wheel inside the axle plates and 3 washers on each side outside the axle plates to take up the additional length of the axle. I recently had a spacer cut that has the same O.D. as the axle head that will go on the outside because I did not like the way the axle adjuster was contacting the washers. And yes I am a little on the OCD side of things.

 

[ANLAF]

Bucko, of course, scissor jack should give me back my missing millimeters a small amount I see what you mean that the welding will have had some small effect on the gap.

ANLAF

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Put a high priority on sprocket alignment...

 

[ANLAF]

Then I will get to the correct spacing sorted when the engine is in. Thanks, TwoMany.

ANLAF

 

[Rez Fink]

dudes..... it looks like the 3/4" washers did the trick for now.... i ended up with about 1" of washers when all added up. i think the issue was that the original axle plate was beefier than the voodoo vintage plates. there is a member(forgot his name) here that sells laser cute spacers/plates which i will eventually get. thanks for the info and advice!

 

[angus67]

dudes..... it looks like the 3/4" washers did the trick for now.... i ended up with about 1" of washers when all added up. i think the issue was that the original axle plate was beefier than the voodoo vintage plates. there is a member(forgot his name) here that sells laser cute spacers/plates which i will eventually get. thanks for the info and advice!

Travis sells them. I cut my own with a cut-off wheel in a 4 1/2 grinder. It took a while, and burned a good hole in my favorite riding hoodie.
I made my own hardtail, and had to use two 3/4 washers on each side of the axle plate, wich adds up to the thickness of the original swing arm. It was a slip fit, but not xsessive.

 

[ANLAF]

I've got 1/2" of washer either side now. They go in comfortably, but when I tighten-up the right side of the hardtail seems to be coming in more than the left, by about and 1/8 or a 1/4. I'm getting there and I'll work it out.

The sprockets are well lined-up, though.

ANLAF