'46/'53 Chief Wheel Rim Offset

[samsmc1]

I figure this issue has been beat to death already, but I do have a question that has popped up. I have a set of rims fitted to the the '48 Chief I've been assembling for the last few mounts. The rims appear to be new. They are strange in that they have a lip on the inside like a safety rim, but the outside is flat where a sharpe judge can not detect it. If you divide the 3.75 " width in half (3.75 divide by 2 = 1.88). Subtract this from the suggested 2.312 (2 5/16th") offset from the side opposite the brake drum flange leaves an approximate gap of .432". I did this and ended up with the rim nearly 1/4" off center in the front fork. Ok I moved the rim over to the center of the fork then the spokes were bending at an angle where they go into the rim. (By the way - both rims were laced with the valve stem hole opposite the brake flanges on the hubs like they should be). I believe I bought these rims from either Kiwi or Gary Stark maybe 20 years ago or longer. They have the original .343 diameter spoke nipples and really look nice. It looks like I may have to change the spoke angle a little bit on the left (valve stem) side of the rims.
Have any of you run into this B/S in the past? Cotten??
Does anyone sell rims these days that can't be detected as safety rims externally that lace up properly?
Thanks
Sam

[exeric]

Sam, take a look at this link for Dayton Wire Wheel. I've seen their vintage 16" H-D rims and they are first class (no safety bead). Their catalog shows rims for Indian. Probably best to talk to someone there.

http://www.daytonwirewheels.com/pdf/..._volume_92.pdf

[ammorest]

Eric, unfortunately they have discontinued those rims. Big Lake Bob went there and tried to get some and they gave him the sad news. Too bad. I used a lot of them and they were great. Have not found a decent replacement yet. And getting a chrome shop to chrome them is a fight. They don't like polishing around the nipple bumps. (alright guys, we are still talking about motorcycle rims here) And if they will do them they charge a fortune. Any suggestions, anybody?
Dave

[koanes]

Most of the rims from that time period were not polished in the area around the nipple holes. The struggle is to get the polisher to leave that area as it was from the factory.

[exeric]

The Dayton wheel rim I saw was at your shop, Dave. Too bad they discontinued making them, it was a very nice reproduction. Kyle, I think it would be easier to find an honest congressman, than an agreeable chrome plater. Like you said, the nipple area shouldn't be polished, and should have a light mill textured finish.

[BigLakeBob]

When I was at Dayton Wire Wheel last year they showed me the rim you described with the inside lip but not visible from the outside, they told me they made hundreds if not thousands (can't recall) for Kiwi. But the demand stopped so they stopped. I was trying to get HD rims style '41-'62 but they weren't interested in doing any more of them. They would strip and rechrome an old rim. Is the Indian rim the same as HD except larger nipple holes? or is the angle also different?

[samsmc1]

Bob - The angle is part of the problem. With the rim properly offset on the hub, the l.h. side spokes have a slight bend at the nipple because the hole is a hair off in it's angle.
Harley hubs center in the rims as I remember, so the angle may be OK if you use the correct size Indian nipples.
I may have problems with the forks on this bike. I need to find a schematic blurprint for them.
Thanks
Sam Romeo #2741