The age old question on wheels ( tracker build)

[Denisesewa]

I picked up a set of what I was told are xs500 mag wheels and an xs400 rear wheel , the rear wheels look and measure identical so I'm not sure what I bought.( both are 18 inch and the spokes are curved where they meet the rim like a 650)
After spending ALOT of time reading on tracker wheel swaps I am still confused as to what actually works, the wheels I have measure 3 inches from the center of the hub to the outer face of the sprocket and the stock 650 wheel is 3.5 inches so without spacing the sprocket out 1/2 inch its impossible to get the wheel centered and still have correct chain-line.
Are people just letting the chain be out of alignment ? , what wheels are these? how do I identify wheels?
I'm not concerned with bearing size swaps, machining spacers , moving the caliper , I can deal with all that , just want an 18 inch mag centered with correct chainline.
Thanks for any insight.

 

[5twins]

This thread covers it pretty well. Apparently centering the wheel pretty much aligns the sprocket for you. And yes, you have to align the sprockets. That's even more important than having the wheel perfectly centered.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/18-18.30089/

Another option may be to use an XS500 swingarm too. That's one pictured in post #7 of the thread linked to above.

 

[Denisesewa]

This thread covers it pretty well. Apparently centering the wheel pretty much aligns the sprocket for you. And yes, you have to align the sprockets. That's even more important than having the wheel perfectly centered.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/18-18.30089/

Another option may be to use an XS500 swingarm too. That's one pictured in post #7 of the thread linked to above.

Thanks for the response , I read that thread ( and many others) still, if the center of rim to sprocket is 1/2 inch narrower there is no way you can center the rim and still get chain line ( one or the other has to be off by 1/2 inch).
I did find a picture of the solution this morning which is what I am going to do, a spacer/adapter to fit the ( I'm guessing a CB500t) sprocket to the 400 rim and adds 1/2 inch width, that will solve the alignment issues, I'll have to get a friend to machine it for me since I dont have a mill.

 

[5twins]

Check that front wheel too. I'm pretty sure it's narrower than a 650 one also. On the rear, are you sure center of hub is also center of rim? Maybe the sprocket side sticks out more?

 

[Denisesewa]

I have measured carefully, center of hub is center of rim , You are right, the front is narrower but its perfect for the Kawasaki KLX 650 USD forks I shortened and installed , the KLX forks were an easy swap, stock XS bearings went right on the KLX stem, had to thin out an XS brake rotor and shorten an XS front axle but the improved ride is totally worth it, right now the original wheel is holding the bike up until I get the new one painted and order tires.

 

[650Skull]

I got this info from the Garage, Member Slide done the conversion and sent me this info. I also took some from the thread he had on this conversion. The link takes you to the Garage site and not the thread.........need to do a lot of searching to find the thread now but it was around july 2007 if you do a search.

PDF also has information for the front Xs650 mag wheel conversion to the rear.......i haven't done this so a caution is needed and information confirmed...........a man with your skills wouldn't have any trouble figuring it out.

 

[Denisesewa]

Thanks for that info !!! in case anyone wants to read up I found the thread >> http://www.xs650.com/threads/rd400-rear-wheel-swap.49885/

 

[650Skull]

That thread has used the information i Jpeg'd from the PDF i posted above...........The thread i refer to in on the Proboards 650 Garage site http://xs650temp.proboards.com/

 

[Denisesewa]

Well, Dogonit I thought I had something there, back to the search