Did I miss something on install or is it the wheel?

[CoffeeGrinder]

I just got a used 21" laced front wheel for my 2001. The wheel is off early 2000's dyna narrow glide with sealed bearings. From my research this should be a direct fit.
All I had to do was move the rotor from one side of the rim to the other.

My spacers stayed on the sides they came off, looking at the bike from in front of the front wheel, the small spacer is on the left, the wider spacer on the right.

Take off and I hear rubbing, not constant, but like the rotor has a little wave. Get home from the store and take a look closer... here it's not the rotor, it's actually the spokes rubbing on the back of my brake caliper.

Did I miss something? I torqued everything to spec and put all pieces back the way they came off.

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[wedge]

How much room on the other side of the rotor? Pictures from the front would be nice.

Maybe you need a spacer behind the rotor to move it out? Maybe you need to flip the wheel over to move it out? Maybe different axle spacers will be needed? Is the wheel running center of the forks?

[CoffeeGrinder]

I measured and the tire and rim are exactly center to where the fender bolts up on either side.

Here are a couple pictures of where it's rubbing:



Here's showing the spacer on the left side (facing the front of bike)


Here's showing the spacer on the right side (facing the front of bike)



It's like I need a thin spacer between hub and rotor. Wonder if I have the caliper on wrong..if that's even possible.

[ReddTigger]

sealed bearings are installed based off the rotor side typically.
as a test, flip the rotor back and see if the wheel doesn't contact.
if it doesn't contact that way, just on out your tire and remount in the proper direction

[ReddTigger]

if you flip it don't tighten all the way until you check it,
or just reverse the bearings

[CoffeeGrinder]

Thanks - I'll check right away! If it works I'll have the tire remounted so tread going the correct way. Fingers crossed it works.

[einheit 13]

Rotor is on the wrong side. I used a Dyna wheel on my 98 1200C, same issue.

[CoffeeGrinder]

Flipped the rotor to the other side and even though its a tad better a few spokes still rub on the caliper.
Looks like 1/16" would clear everything just enough. All the spacers I'm finding on ebay are for years up to mid 1980's and one says up to 1999.

[in the wind]

could be a wheel bearing issue as mentioned-- the wheel bearings are installed brake side first -everything else follows- and that places rotor where it needs to be.....on a dyna that was the opposite side....also it is not recommended to re-use sealed wheel bearings once you pull them out......wheel bearing kit from harley will come w/ everything you need--except the installation

[CoffeeGrinder]

I've been doing some more searching and I'm not the only one this has happened to when switching to a 21" wheel. Solutions range from grinding the back of the caliper down to trying to find a caliper not as wide as stock.
Just irritated as my buddy found a 21" off an '05 custom and fit with no issues onto his 2002 (or 2000, can't remember now). I measured my 19" hub width where rotor mounts to the 21" and they are about 1/16" difference.. talk about a tight fit between caliper and spokes.

With that said, does anyone know how thick the caliper wall is in the back? I'd hate to go through it like Snowman did on his when this happened to him, but he had a 2009 which uses different caliper or I'd ask him.