David Bird Hard Tail Help - Spacers?

[miketweedie]

Hey,

Just welded up my david bird hardtail (straight style) that has been collecting dust for several years. Does anyone know if they require additional or modified wheel spacers? The bike was disassembled when I got it, and all the wheel spacers were supposedly in the same ziplock, but the wheel definitely isn't spaced correctly.

For reference, it is an '81, with the stock drum mag rear wheel. I have the ~1" spacer that goes on the drum side and a dust shield style spacer on the drive side, and that is it. (plus the chain tensioners)

thanks in advance.

-Mike

 

[irishlord99]

The David Bird tails should be manufactured to stock width, and you should be able to use stock spacers... that said, the distance between the axle plates may have grown or shrunk during welding, and you may need to manufacture some custom spacers to align everything correctly. (Also, you could use a hydraulic jack to widen the distance between the plate, or ratchet straps to narrow it.)

What is the distance between the two axle plates as it sits now? I'm sure someone on here can measure a stock frame and give you the stock dimension.

 

[timbeck]

8.5 inches , stock. When you put a hard tail on you need to play with some washers and chain alignment.........

tim

 

[miketweedie]

Helpful, thanks guys!
I'll measure it all out, as I still have the stock swingarm in a box somewhere. So long as the chain is aligned, everything should be good. I can make spacers pretty easily.
appreciate the help. I'll toss up a pic once I get it sorted in case anyone else wants it. (probably not a problem, as nobody seems to sell these anymore)

 

[irishlord99]

Yeah, I bought my looped tail only a few months before Mr. Bird closed up shop. I really lucked out, because I bought it well before I needed it, and nobody else sells a looped tail like that.

 

[miketweedie]

you guys were right, just a little movement from the heat. with the spacers and the chain tensioners in, it was about 1/2" out. I put ratchet straps on and cranked them down, and it closed it to about 1/8". tightening the axle bolt solved it from there.

thanks again.