Front wheel feels tight, wont spin freely

[digitalsam]

Thank you all for the help with the front brake pads. Next issue with my 80 Special is that the front wheel doesn't spin freely like a bike tire does.

TopCatGr58 mentioned that I may have bent the speedometer gear or the drive prongs, etc...

I want to start riding, and need to know what to do to diagnose the issue and how to fix it.

[randy]

If you think it's the speedo drive prongs, the only way to diagnose it is to remove the wheel, pull the speedo drive and see.

Also make sure your calipers are free to pivot on the mounting bolt, and the pads move freely on their mounting pins.

[John]

I would check the spacing of the right fork tube in relation to the rotor on that side. You can adjust that by loosening the axle pinch bolt on the right tube, and the fork can be moved in or out as needed to align the rotor in the grove on te tube where the caliper sits. Take the right caliper off, and then see how freely it spins. The left side is fixed, so I doubt that side is the problem.

[planedick]

In order

Be sure when putting wheel on that you tighten the axle nut first and the pinch bolts on the head of the axle last and for best handling you should have the fork brace loose and the tripple tree clamps loose at this time and tighten all from the bottom up.