True width of 5.00 tires

[Raytag]

Ride: FL1951/ basically standard: Wishbone with oem fender, crashbar/attachment for sidecar and Hydra-Glide fork and fender, rims AM = 4.1" wide

Oh dear, another seemingly hopeless question.

In the last 3 months I was working on the chassis
Because of some german legal issues I am obliged to use tires with the size 130/90-16.
I can and will change that in future but first I have to get this baby rolling again, pass safety inspection.

These metric tires are 5.2" wide (I took the measurement, currently 40psi each)
Theoretically the 5.00 tires have a width of 5".
Is this true or just wishful thinking ?

Bike is raised on a hydraulic bike jack
My agony is that fitting the front wheel into the fork requires removing the front fender. Currently it doesn`t bother me much cause no paint job yet. The fender tabs are sliding, scratching along the lower legs. BTW: Brake drum left on the brake

Fitting the rear wheel gives me fits: brake drum bolts off, sleeve nut is a tad loose, brake applied, the bolts for crashbar/sidecar attachment I reversed (now from in to outside) and I am lacking ~ .025. Eventually, I am able to squeeze the tire in but then I`m fighting with the fitment of hub and brake drum cause the tire hits the rear fender. Each time I have the wheel back in I need to crush a beer can

I doubt that a 5.00 front tire will spare me the removal of the front fender but with a 5.00 tire in the rear I hope that to install the rear wheel without a 19th nervous breakdown.

So, is it "easy enough" for you with your 5.00 tires to put them back in ?

Basically looking for a glimmer of hope
Thanks
Ray

[es225]

Letting the air out before taking off or mounting the wheels (with Avon 5.00-16 tyres - that measures 5-1/8" or 130 mm to answer your question) saves me some struggling....
JW

[RooDog]

Oh, by the way the rim width is measured inside between the flanges where the tire actually seat, not across the out side of the flared flanges.

I found with my 1950 Panhead, with full rear fender, the best way to remove the rear wheel is with the entire brake assembly, backing plate and all, as an assembly. Break the chain, detach the pull rod, remove the large nut from the backing plate's stub axle, pull the axle and right side spacer, and take it all out together. there is plenty of room to do it that way. And you don't have to mess with the wheel lug bolts either.
....RooDog....

[Andygears]

Bleeding out some air always helps but why keep the drum on the wheel? The front should come out without removing the fender if you remove the lug bolts. The same at the rear, the rear fender/ crash bar bolt should have a thin head to facilitate. Check your rear frame width at the axle mount by the frame diagram in the knowledge base, slightly tweaked inward is not uncommon.

Andygears

[Excalibur]

Letting air out, then spraying some slippery silicone helps wiggle tire passed.

Both my ME888 Metzelers are slightly too fat so need deflating to fit wheels in bike. ('61 FLH) They fit if I insist.
Rear inflated width: 5.3", 134.5mm.
Front inflated width: 5.2", 132.5mm

One other thing. The chrome trim on the fender had studs which were longer than they needed and was fouling when trying to get the tire in.
I reduced the surplus length which also helped.

Hope this helps.

[Raytag]

Roo
this is what I`m doing now to speed up this process. I haven`t got a rear-chain yet and I was wondering exactly about that chain in future.


Andygears
Front: Drum on brakeassy. Lug bolts of wheel-drum removed.
Rear: Thin headed bolts inserted.
I`ll check the width of the frame


Excalibur
Rear: I can squeeze the tire beyond the lugs of the drum no sweat. But when trying to slip the wheelhub onto the brakedrum I need the tire to shift around and then I`m limited by the fender, frame, chainguard, lugs on drum, my patience
Front: Hmmm. Must check again. I think it`s the fender , but I check.

Thanks fellas
I take it that it is a pain in the rear (LOL) no matter what tiresize is fitted and deflating before install should help a lil
I understood that the front should be possible with fender on.

Thanks again
ray

[Raytag]

Just wanted to say thanks again and that I`m a moron.

The frontwheel is really easy to remove grrrr
Frontfender stays put, tire not deflated, brake drum lug bolts out, raising the wheel some 3", tilting the wheel at 6 o`clock
towards you (12 o`clock towards the drum) and the wheel is dropping out by itselves

Bike on rear stand, rear wheel not deflated, sleeve nut really loose, lug bolts out, tilt the wheel in the bottom towards the muffler and turn the wheel reverse
some inches while pulling it out. Basically the same when putting it back

Why the hassle?
Haven`t got a chain on yet but when I`m out in the wild I hope it`s possible that the chain stays on the sprocket, so not to drop the chain into the dirt or opening it up.
Back in the homeport I lift out the wheel with the complete brake assy on. This way it is a matter of seconds.

The rear of the frame is a 8.58" (225mm) wide

Yea I hear you: Keep on trying. It`s not a punishment. Just an exercise. LOL

Ray

[Excalibur]

Ray, what is that brand of tire?

[Andygears]

”The rear of the frame is a 8.58" (225mm) wide“

Looking at the frame drawing in the KB, the rear shows 4.38 to 4.43 from center so 8 3/4 to 8 7/8. You’re about 3/16 narrow which I wouldn’t worry about but explains the difficulty.

Andygears

[Raytag]

Damn.
Mixed up the numbers:
8.85" (almost 225mm)

I tried deflating first but I have to deflate it completly to be able meassure a sigificant difference in tire width
Maybe it`s the lugs on the AM brake drum which are too long ? Dunno.

Tire = Heidenau K65 front & rear
130/90 B16 73H with "reinforced sidewalls like all B-tires
Bitch to install. The tire didn`t grow equally once inflated. Sort of sitting cocked on the rim which you can see at those parallel lines on the tire. The tire jockey was working very hard to make me happy.
I used that tire on the rigid Shovel in the rear before and I was very happy with it (wet/dry/milage) and I believe ... that I have experienced the tire fitment probs with exactly this tire already.

Ray