Well I have done this many times so I developed a method..
Not too much need on stockers but change to a different wheel or build a rigid and this will help. But a customer asked how to do this today so I told him, and will share it here.
Mount you wheel less spacers on the axle but leave any spacer that go through a seal in place and of course have your brake drum in if it has one. Now line up sprockets with a straightedge.The tool I use is an inside spring divider or caliper with the adjustment knob.. about a 4 incher if you can get one that short. Now use this to figure out your spacer length by adjusting it in the gap till it just drags.. transfer to your calipers or mike and you have your length!!
Works well, except the calipers closed are about .400 wide. if that is too wide, tr this. Take a drill index that is fractional to 1/2", now use the drills straight ends to guage the width that you need..drills are in 16 thou increments.. so you will be within that, regardless of if the drill fits a bit loose..
Easy as pie & quick!!.. unless you are doing wheels with taper bearings!!, them are a bit more fun!!
So then the guy said no I meant the front.. how do you get the wheel centered?? I said use the same spring caliper, and just center the tire sidewall to the inside of the fork leg.. should be good enough in most cases..
Let me know if that does not explain it..
