I'm finally in the process of putting my sidecar rig together. I'm new to sidecars and have been reading everything I can get my hands on though. Couple of questions: I bought a used 2002 TLE Ultra sidecar that I believe after researching, is probably not a 2002. It has drum brakes. The 1999 to 2002 manual I bought shows disc brakes. I'm OK with that and don't even care if the seller lied about it, it was cheap enough. But I'd like to put a laced wheel on it to match the wheels on my 99 Road King classic. The Harley guys are scratching their heads so I'm wondering if anyone here can help with info or am I stuck with the mag wheel?
Thanks!
every year of sidecar can have a 40 spoke steel rim wheel installed
the drum brake is the same, or nearly the same as a panhead juice drum brake.
find a proper service manual for the year of the sidecar and it will have the part number of the hub you need.
any parts man worth the time can take the side car vin and tell you what year the sidecar frame is
you want a service manual that covers that year AND covers the year bike you have
its not difficult - but its ESSENTIAL to get the proper manual or you will just spend lots of cash for no reason.
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oh, i forgot,
before you spend ANY more money find out what year that sidecar is - there are cutoffs where certain years sidecars wont fit certain years bikes.
if the sidecar is old enough it wont fit to your bike frame.... but it has to be pretty old not to fit.
just remember - the sidecar frames with drum brakes go clear back to the 60's & panheads. that frame could be from the 80's & if it is it wont fit a twin cam at all.
the dividing line is about 1984 - before was rigid engine mount to frame - after was rubber mount to frame - the sidecars mounts changed then.
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finding out the year is the next step for sure. I'll call the shop with the Vin tomorrow.
The mounts fit the bike with no problem. The frame has the single leaf spring instead of the multiple springs. From what I read, that's from a later 90s model but I don't remember where I read it? Too much googling. I'm thinking the disc brake model was from '99 up.
I think I'm in good shape with everything fitting, just wondering about the wheel. In theory, it looks like you should be able to remove the hub from the mag wheel and bolt it on the spoke wheel, if you have the right spoke wheel that is. Thanks for the reply.
Here's a shot of my 1998 95th Anniversary Special with spokes, single leaf springs and disc brakes.
Lonnie
Very nice Lonnie! Great colors!
I'm wondering when they made the change from drum to disc.
i assume you dont mean remove the hub, but rather remove the brake drum from the wheel
they just bolt on - in its simplest form you need a wheel hub set up for juice brakes....
its not that special - just a new old part.
find a parts man who cares & then dig - its a very standard part, just old & odd.
sidecar drum brakes were the very last use of the hd drum brakes - they lasted at least 10 years after all the bike wheels went to disk......
hd sidecars are the only item left from any mfg with rigid suspension - the wheel is bolted solid to the frame - nobody else anywhere sells anything rigid anymore.
and it works just fine, even at speed - though i have gotten my wife to smack me if i run her through a big enough pot hole
on the other hand - i found it MUCH easier to find a front wheel for the bike that matches what is already on the sidecar - found one nos at a dealer for 100 bux. the best price i found for a sidecar wheel to match the bike front was 475...
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You're right Tim, I did mean remove the drum from the wheel. At $475, I'll probably just stick with the wheel I've got.
Fastblueheeler - 9/17/2009 5:10 AM
Very nice Lonnie! Great colors!
I'm wondering when they made the change from drum to disc.
From my 2004 Harley parts manual: The single leaf spring was brought out in 1994 and the disc brake was first installed on the 1998 models of TLE sidecars. The chassis was changed extensively in 1998 as well to accomodate the disc brake.
Single leaf spring = P/N 881900-94
Sidecar Brake Caliper = P/N 44238-98
Sidecar Chassis = 87160-98A
timo482 - 9/17/2009 11:51 AM
i assume you dont mean remove the hub, but rather remove the brake drum from the wheel
they just bolt on - in its simplest form you need a wheel hub set up for juice brakes....
its not that special - just a new old part.
find a parts man who cares & then dig - its a very standard part, just old & odd.
sidecar drum brakes were the very last use of the hd drum brakes - they lasted at least 10 years after all the bike wheels went to disk......
hd sidecars are the only item left from any mfg with rigid suspension - the wheel is bolted solid to the frame - nobody else anywhere sells anything rigid anymore.
and it works just fine, even at speed - though i have gotten my wife to smack me if i run her through a big enough pot hole
on the other hand - i found it MUCH easier to find a front wheel for the bike that matches what is already on the sidecar - found one nos at a dealer for 100 bux. the best price i found for a sidecar wheel to match the bike front was 475...
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The front wheel will fit but the hub is of a different design, is it not? Regarding the price, they charge $475.00 because they can. LOL Some of the prices for custom Harley wheels for solo bikes are two and three times that much.
As to HD sidecars lacking suspension, it all depends on how you look at it. The HD sidecar has a wide stance with a long "moment arm" so that if the wheel moves upward, the amount of displacement of the bike from its ordinary vertical setting is minimal. That fact plus the springs on the sidecar do give a form of suspension. I don't particuilarly care for a swing arm on a sidecar frame, either. It's just more weight with a possibility for movement.
I also like very much that the wheel is solidly attached to the Harley frame. It gives some stability in that regard. All of this is merely my own musings and opinion, of course. Others will tell you that the Harley-Davidson motorcycle and its sidecar are totally obsolete. My attitude on that is that you either own a Harley-Davidson sidecar rig or you don't.
Since MUZ went out of business, AFAIK, HD is the last manufacturer building a sidecar specifically for their motorcycle. I could be wrong on that if there is some arcane manufacturer out there of which I haven't heard.
Please place flames, anti-HD messages, derogatory statements and other general abuse below this line. LOL
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for the disk brake sidecars - the wheels ARE a front wheel - 3/4" bearings and one side is machined different to hold the hub cap
any front wheel will fit - its just that they are "ugly" because the chrome hub cap wont fit since its a different bolt pattern and size than the disk brake.
the 40 spoke wheel from a single front brake wide front softail is the same exact part.
for drum brake sidecars - its a drum brake front wheel
some years have ball bearings
some years have timken bearings
and some have straight roller bearings - but ive only seen those in books so....
so once you have a front wheel set up for either disk or drum - then deal with the hub cap issue - then install the proper bearings - it will work.
still - its cheaper and simpler to find a front wheel for the bike that matches the sidecar wheel.
i prefer a rigid sidecar wheel - it makes lean out more predictable.
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timo482 - 9/18/2009 12:17 PM
i prefer a rigid sidecar wheel - it makes lean out more predictable.
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Yes. that's a good point. I really don't want the frame moving up and down in corners, either. I like the old HD design just the way it is.
