Trying to put a 5.5 rearwheel on a triumph

[jjschweizer]

I'm trying to put a 5.5 x 16 rear wheel on my 1967 triumph T120. I have a hard tail with a 6" stretch and a 2" drop. I'm going to cut and widen the hard tail to fit the rim. Am I going to run into a chain problem? Will I have to offset the motor?

[SamHain]

I'm trying to put a 5.5 x 16 rear wheel on my 1967 triumph T120. I have a hard tail with a 6" stretch and a 2" drop. I'm going to cut and widen the hard tail to fit the rim. Am I going to run into a chain problem? Will I have to offset the motor?

I imagine so, most 16" tires wont even fit(centered).

[Pete60]

Don't expect it to steer straight,but it should fit in.Moving the engine to the left would just make it steer to the left more.

The gearbox sprocket centreline is 3" from frame centre.The engine is already heavy on the primary side.Normally the rear rim centre is 2-15/16" from the rear sprocket centreline.That means the rim is shifted 1/16" toward the primary,to help balance out the weight of the engine.

Say your chain is 0.850" wide and your tyre is 5.5" wide.They will be touching if the centre distance is 3.175" from sprocket centreline to rim centreline. The rear rim would be 0.175" off centre toward the timing side.You might want more like 1/4" off centre,so the chain doesn't touch the tyre.

[jjschweizer]

So I'm better off getting a smaller tire? It's more important to me that the tire is centered than the wide look. Hmmmmmmm

[LinkBelt]

It is common on Triumphs to off set the wheel to the right for chain clearance.

[dicebike]

All Triumph motors are off set less than 1\4". I put a 230 Avon Tire on my bike. That tire is 9 1\2" wide. Widen the frame and install a Jack Shaft. For all the guys who say "Jack Shafts suck" Tell that to the Top Fuel guys!!!! I'm trying to attach a few pics but new here!!! You might see this posted a few times!!!!!!! lol

[SamHain]

All Triumph motors are off set less than 1\4". I put a 230 Avon Tire on my bike. That tire is 9 1\2" wide. Widen the frame and install a Jack Shaft. For all the guys who say "Jack Shafts suck" Tell that to the Top Fuel guys!!!! I'm trying to attach a few pics but new here!!! You might see this posted a few times!!!!!!! lol

looks like a good route if you want a wide tire.

[SamHain]

Don't expect it to steer straight,but it should fit in.Moving the engine to the left would just make it steer to the left more.

The gearbox sprocket centreline is 3" from frame centre.The engine is already heavy on the primary side.Normally the rear rim centre is 2-15/16" from the rear sprocket centreline.That means the rim is shifted 1/16" toward the primary,to help balance out the weight of the engine.

Say your chain is 0.850" wide and your tyre is 5.5" wide.They will be touching if the centre distance is 3.175" from sprocket centreline to rim centreline. The rear rim would be 0.175" off centre toward the timing side.You might want more like 1/4" off centre,so the chain doesn't touch the tyre.

just with an avon 5.00-16 tire, I was near 3/8" off center to the timing side for 1/16 chain to tire clearance, didn't like it and ditched the tire. A 5.5" wheel, seems like the problem would be much worse.

[imwastefull]

i'm interested to hear how this turns out.

I just brought home a triumph chop that has a 16" rear and the chain is rubbing against the tire. Can't quite figure how to fix it without buying a new rim

[SamHain]

i'm interested to hear how this turns out.

I just brought home a triumph chop that has a 16" rear and the chain is rubbing against the tire. Can't quite figure how to fix it without buying a new rim

if the chains lined up the rim can be offset from the hub. Different tires also, shinkos are noticeably narrower than avons.

[backwithabang]

I did a 16 with a 5.0 Avon rear on mine last year. It was offset quite a bit to the right. Just make sure that bitch is locked down good and if you are running old style tensioners with the ribbed (locking) side of the washer make sure they are clean and not worn down much. If you run rear brakes only and need to stop kind of quick that wheel will tend to offset even more at an angle. If you stop hard enough you run the risk of locking up the rear and blowing a bearing (like I did )

[imwastefull]

if the chains lined up the rim can be offset from the hub. Different tires also, shinkos are noticeably narrower than avons.

just checking, when you say "offset" you mean like put some spacers or washers in inbetween the drum hub and the rim hub?

yeah, i need a new tire. It has some old Dunlop K181's that are way chunky. I'll have to check out those shinkos!

[SamHain]

just checking, when you say "offset" you mean like put some spacers or washers in inbetween the drum hub and the rim hub?

yeah, i need a new tire. It has some old Dunlop K181's that are way chunky. I'll have to check out those shinkos!

No, I meant the rim can be laced offset from the hub. It may also be possible to space the drum off the hub, but you would also have to adjust the axle(drum) spacers accordingly.

[perryb]

damn that 36 inch wide rear tire is ugly.

[unit650]

I used a modern harley wheel by facing the rotor side by.250 an turning it to the chain side an making it the sprocket side an its tits

[jjschweizer]

Nice!!! I ended up machining the hub down to fit center. When it's all fitted ill post some pics!!!