Fat tire

[exeric]

My task for today was to pull the rear wheel on the '48FL and go through the bearing assy and re-lubricate. Over 2 hours later I discovered the coker firestone repro tire was 5 1/2" wide and will not clear the brake drum dowels, and right side frame without being deflated. Prior to that, I started to strip the back of the bike down to remove the fender but knew that can't be right. I measured the Shinko tires on my '51FL and they are 4 1/2" inflated. I've never had a problem removing the rear wheel on any rigid frame BT H-D until today. Really ruined my afternoon Just an advisory to anyone using that tire.

[D.A.Bagin]

Eric,

I have automatically deflated the tires in the removal process. Even then it is a pain in the neck. Only time years ago I did not, and it really was a pain however, it was somewhere else.

[exeric]

Like I said, I've never had to deflate a tire to slip past the brake, and frame. I wondered if it was my frame, or fender that wasn't wide enough due to some past injury but my '48 measured the same as my '51 frame and that's when I found the tire discrepancy. Now I'm thinking I'll deep 6 the cokers and get new (other brand) tires.

[Rubone]

Working in shops as a much younger man I found that at least 75% of all rear tires needed to be deflated before they would come out. For the most part it was just easier to deflate before starting then to have to do it during the fight.

[T. Cotten]

I gotta ask, Eric,..

Are these standard profile? (Or low profile, more appropriate for a swingarm?)

Had to deflate 'late models' every time.

....Cotten

[exeric]

I have to wonder if the tire has expanded due to sidewall cracking. I think H-Ds intention was to design for wheel removal without deflation, but then, H-D had no control over the many tire manufacturers. . . I don't recall any problems putting the wheel in.

Tom, these tires are firestone reproductions from coker so I don't know how accurate they are. However, they did get the logo right

firetire.jpg

[ChiefTwoKicks]

Precisely, a big reason why I advocate for 18" wheels and tires.

C2K

[tfburke3]

That tire is probably not that old ,but I wouldnt run it with that sidewall cracking.
Cokers suck for that reason ,and others.
I need to replace the tires in my 47 chief,50+ year old Arcos that have some sidewall crackin but not as much as your firestone.The problem is mostly noticable when some hard rear braking the rear end wants to slide due to the compound being harder than when new.Im thinking of puting modern american elites on because I really like them on my electraglide and next set can be period style.
Tom

[duffeycycles]

Modern tires ride nice but the ones with the pointed sides are wider than older style tires.
I measure the width with a caliper before trying to install on many older HDs.
I agree with Robbie to deflate the rear before trying to remove or install on older HDs.

[exeric]

Like I said, I have to believe H-D intended for an inflated period tire to be removable from their their frame, as per their 'Rider's Handbook' instructions. Over a period of time, a rigid frame H-D owner probably didn't do a lot of rear wheel maintenance, but some owners probably checked their wheel bearings, and brakes (when it was too cold to ride). Very few people had a home compressor, and a hand pump is a potential heart attack for many drinkin', smokin', bikers of the day. Again, I will deflate tires before removal of the wheel and I thank everyone that commented. I feel stupid posting threads like this about stuff that is so basic, but I think our antique motorcycle world is having to increasingly adapt to a world that has passed it by.

[T. Cotten]

Face it, Eric....

Most of us remove a tire because its flat already.

Its when you gotta deflate to reinstall that it p's u off.

....Cotten

[exeric]

Face it, Eric....

Most of us remove a tire because its flat already.

Its when you gotta deflate to reinstall that it p's u off.

....Cotten

How true, how true.

[dukekleman]

Since the late 80's I've found it to be the norm for tire deflation prior to installation. Very few have gone without deflation that I quite trying and it just became procedure. Working around the industry and communicating with big brand manufacturer's, I've learned that a tolerance of +/- 10% in width is normal. That could be what has allowed you in the past to get by...???

[otis71]

Years ago I never had a problem with Goodyear tires. Now no longer available I’ve fought Coker and Shinko tires as well as any other 5.00-16 tires available. If dealing with a swingarm bike pull the lower shock bolts and with the swingarm lowered the tire will come out easily.

[tfburke3]

Modern tires ride nice but the ones with the pointed sides are wider than older style tires.
I measure the width with a caliper before trying to install on many older HDs.
I agree with Robbie to deflate the rear before trying to remove or install on older HDs.

Thanks for that .I have been wanting to upgrade that bikes tires for awhile but keep putting off for a number of reasons.
I hadnt thought about being to wide so I measured my coker becks 5:00x16 and my American elite mt90 16 and the are the same with,5.340,about a 1/4 wider than the Arcos.
Tom