Jam nuts, spacers, wide glide...

[oO VEGGIE Oo]

I've owned my bike close to two years now. Really started riding a lot more as of late on these torn up Oklahoma streets and crazy unpredictable Oklahoma winds. When I bought my Sportster from Paris Harley, I was thrilled to see it had a WG front end. It was cool to have a bike with a bit of uniqueness to it. Granted it had ugly buck horns, stock everything else and Live to Ride crap ALL OVER IT. I didn't care, it was my first Harley. One of my dreams. I had always wanted a Sportster. Little by little I have made it my own. Continuing to do more as I still have Bucks to replace, exhaust and air cleaner...but I'm getting there.

To get to my point. Yesterday, I rode to work. At break I was outside doing a bit of polishing, when I notice one of my brake light screws missing. No big deal. Then as I'm polishing the front fender, I notice something else missing. A bolt, a FREAKING STOVE BOLT. Stove bolt? How did I not see that before. Um, because it wasn't broke. Apparently the PO just used these, jam nuts as spacers and a castle nut to hold it all together.

http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae206/oOVeggieOo/1995%20XLH1200%20Custom/IMAG0191.jpg
http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae206/oOVeggieOo/1995%20XLH1200%20Custom/IMAG0192.jpg

I spent some time on the conventional lathe with some 316 stainless, polished it up, and put some good bolts on there.
http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae206/oOVeggieOo/1995%20XLH1200%20Custom/IMAG0193.jpg
http://i972.photobucket.com/albums/ae206/oOVeggieOo/1995%20XLH1200%20Custom/IMAG0194.jpg
Much better.

Unfortunately, the jam nuts dug into my paint and were a beast to get off of there.

[ChinCactus]

That looks much better now.

Try putting some stainless washers between your new spacers and the fender to cover up where the old bolts dug into the paint.

I recently got my hands on a table top lathe. I'm just beginning to realize what a useful tool it is!


BTW, I just looked at your gallery pics. Bike looks dam good with the WG front end!

[oO VEGGIE Oo]

Thanks for the compliment man. Would however like to put a fat boy bucket on there. Think it will look better. I've got to hide the wiring too. Hangs down below the neck right now.