Sidemount spare hardware.
 

I have a question about my recently acquired '30 Deluxe Coupe. The car has dual sidemounts and Firestone tires (snug fit) and I intend to modify the plate studs and make them removable to facilitate mounting and removal of the spares on to the fender wells. According to page 508 of the Model A Ford Service Bulletins, the plate should be adjusted with the wheel in the well, remove the wheel and tighten the plate nut. They make no mention of the arm nut on the frame bracket. As it is now, the arms will swivel front to rear without the wheels mounted. Is this correct?
Thanks,
Bill Z

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

The only one I ever took apart was tight and I think it had never been apart before in it's life.

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

You might know this already, but there is a right hand plate and left hand plate. Whether that would make a difference to your dilemma, I am not sure.

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

Bill, you might want to check out this:
http://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showth...pare+sidemount
I modified my sidemount plates to have bolts rather than studs. Pictures in post #9

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

My 68C Cabriolet has twin side mounts. It had 6 Firestone 4:75/5:00 WWW. Those were almost impossible to get in & out of the side mounts. Firestone tires are larger then many other tires. Two years ago I replaced all the WWW with black walls. I had 4 new Firestone black walls & 4 new Universal tires which are 4:75's. I used two 4:75 Universals in the side mounts & they fit perfect, go in & out easy & I can keep them fully inflated. I couldn't keep the Firestone tire fully inflated in the side mounts.

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

I had the same problem with my Firestones in the side mount (even with the mod I described above). I was pleasantly surprised when I got my new 5.50R19 Exelcior Radials, and it slipped right in like it belonged. Funny thing is that the new radials are the same height as the old Firestones.

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

I think I would just let most of the air out of the tires and they will go in easy. Don't reinflate them once they are in the well. Carry a tire pump and an AAA card.

Charlie Stephens

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

Thanks for all your responses. After enjoying my '26 T Roadster for the past 15 years, I'm venturing into Model A territory. My Coupe underwent a nut and bolt off frame restoration about 20 years ago and has held up extremely well. Ten years ago the previous owner sent the car down to Schwalms in Pennsylvania where they did an engine rebuild with a counterbalanced crank, lightened flywheel and V8 clutch, rebuilt the transmission, steering box, carburetor, distributor and installed a new radiator.

Overall a really sweet package that I couldn't pass up. The car was mostly trailered to shows and has accumulated only 360 miles since it's completion. I'm now in the process of going through it to make sure everything is safe and road ready. I'll be adding turn signals, seat belts and probably LED brake lights. My question though is shouldn't the spare tire arms be tightened solidly to the frame mounts?

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

Yes, the last arms I had to remove were so tight to the frame pad that it took a sledge hammer to knock them loose. It's just like the rear axle, where the taper does the gripping and most of the driving force.

Re: Sidemount spare hardware.
 

I thought so, thanks Tom!