Sidemount Spare Installation Problem

[Vic in E-TN]

I have been having a clearance problem installing the spare tire and wheel into the well. I ground off a little of the corners of the triangle and the studs. I lost some paint getting the tire into the well.

I thought of cutting the studs out of the triangle and using a piece of threaded rod through the front of the triangle after the tire is in the well. I would Loktite a lugnut to the outside end of the rod and put a nut on the back of the triangle after the stud is in.

Has anyone done this? Does anyone have any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Vic

[stouchton]

Had similar problems, and here is how I fixed mine:

Make sure you've got left hand and right hand mounts correct! I had 2 left hands. Using a left hand on the right side made it extremely difficult to remove.

Set the height of the mount so it supports the tire but allows for clearance to remove tire. Mine ended up at the halfway point.

I use Goodyears, which fit the well. My old tires were too wide and would not seat down in the well. Deflating them helped.

[MAG]

I pushed/pressed the studs out of the plate and filed a little stock off the flats so that they can be pushed back into place easily. They are very similar to a carriage bolt.
They were not difficult to remove. Put a nut/lug nut on the stud to prevent damaging the stud/threads. Set the head of the stud in a large socket and drive the stud out.

[CarlG]

I went thru the process described in one of the national magazines some time back, whereby you drive out the studs (like MAG said in post #3), then weld a nut on the back side. Then take a bolt, thread it into the lug nut with Loctite & cut off the head. Then you can set your spare in the well, line up the holes in the wheel & use the stud nuts you have just created.

Works great for me anyway.

[Vic in E-TN]

Carl:
I could look up the article in the magazine later but if you have the issue handy, it will save me some time.
Stouhton:
I forgot about the left-right side variables on the triangles. Are they marked? I will look in the catalogs to see if they are sold separately
Thanks for the help.
Vic

[Smog Tech]

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I had the same problem with the side mounts on my 30 Town Sedan., very hard to remove or replace the wheels. I removed the studs from the side mount plates and used 1 inch bolts the same size as the lug nuts. I put the bolts through the back side of the plates and bolted on the wheels. You do need to hold the bolt head with a wrench, but there is plenty of room to do that.

[1930pu]

I did the same as Carl, welding the nut on the back, I used all thread threaded it into the lugnut and put a small roll pin in it, works great

[SteveB31]

Both the castle nut that holds the arm to the frame and the castle nut that hols the plate to the arm should not be tight. You then slide the plate on the arm and rotate the arm in the frame and you can remove or insert the tire and wheel very easily. That os why they have castle nuts on them.

[Vic in E-TN]

SteveB31:
Interesting about the castle nuts on the bottom of the arm. I will need to look tomorrow to see what I have. I thought the factory side mount arms were riveted on.
Thanks,
Vic

[kwisor]

hello Vic
the mounting bracket is riveted to frame the mount arm has a castle nut to hold the arm and plate on
kevin
1930 model a tudor
1923 model t roadster p/u

[CarlG]

Originally Posted by Vic in E-TN

Carl:
I could look up the article in the magazine later but if you have the issue handy, it will save me some time...

Originally Posted by SteveB31

Both the castle nut that holds the arm to the frame and the castle nut that hols the plate to the arm should not be tight. You then slide the plate on the arm and rotate the arm in the frame and you can remove or insert the tire and wheel very easily. That os why they have castle nuts on them.

Vic - I'll try and see if I can find the article later this evening.

I knew about the slide plate being loose and able to slide up and down, but I didn't know about the other end. I'll have to try that, it can't but help.

[duke36]

Originally Posted by CarlG

Vic - I'll try and see if I can find the article later this evening.

I knew about the slide plate being loose and able to slide up and down, but I didn't know about the other end. I'll have to try that, it can't but help.

This is an old thread but timely for my issue with vibrating sidemounts. We use removable studs that make the plates easier to install.
When the castle nuts are not snug top ad bottom, the mounts vibrate and move around in the wells. Can the secure tightening at the frame and wheel plate nuts harm the fenders ? I've seen cracks in sidemount fenders and wonder if the looseness can cause this or vise versa.We work on other car makes with securely tightened sidemount assemblies that don't rattle.

[37 Coupe]

I had a 1932 Plymouth PB that had twin sidemounts ,tires fit fine until new Coker BF Goodrich tires. Tires were over 3" diameter more than stated diameter and over 4" than the forty year old Cokers.Only way they would fit in tirewells were without air. Will not make the same mistake on the '31 Model A.

[duke36]

Originally Posted by 37 Coupe

I had a 1932 Plymouth PB that had twin sidemounts ,tires fit fine until new Coker BF Goodrich tires. Tires were over 3" diameter more than stated diameter and over 4" than the forty year old Cokers.Only way they would fit in tirewells were without air. Will not make the same mistake on the '31 Model A.

Understood. I have new Lucas tires which fit perfectly in the wells. I deflate the tires to about 20 psi to get them more pliable then angle them over the mounting arm to allow the plate to just slide in. Then attach the studs, etc. I prep'd the original studs as MAG did in post 3. The wheel/ tire moves up and down in the plate stud. Then inflate the tires to 30-32 psi.
My question is how tight to make the arm nuts at frame and wheel plate to prevent rattling and squeaking. If leaving them loose allows less stress on the fender well area, fine, or whether the wheel and fender should be snug as a unit.
Also, am told that arm to frames could be either riveted solid or bolt mounted depending on whether factory or dealer installed which would indicate solid mounting at the frame.

[whirnot]

If the spare squeeks in the mount, just do what some idiot prior to me did with my pickup, smear about a half tube of grease in the well!
It took forever to get that crap out.

[redmodelt]

Re the castle nuts; they are not on there to allow it to be loose but to be used with a cotter pin so the nuts don't come loose and fall off. The nuts need to be tight so the arm does not work back and forth enlarging the holes.

[whirnot]

Originally Posted by redmodelt

Re the castle nuts; they are not on there to allow it to be loose but to be used with a cotter pin so the nuts don't come loose and fall off. The nuts need to be tight so the arm does not work back and forth enlarging the holes.

The person that posted the above information about them being loose is one of the most knowledgeable persons in the country, when it comes to model A's.

[redmodelt]

Is there any thing in the Service Bulletins that would back up leaving the castle nuts loose in those locations?

[1931 flamingo]

In 9+ years with my dual sidemounts I never went near them, everything was tight, no rattles, no fender breakage.
Paul in CT

[duke36]

Originally Posted by 1931 flamingo

In 9+ years with my dual sidemounts I never went near them, everything was tight, no rattles, no fender breakage.
Paul in CT

Agree. Just checked the bracket mounts at the frame. The nuts were loose (No rivets on my car). Also the arm is locked in and can't move. I snugged the arm nut to the wheel plate just enough so the assembly doesn't shake and is solid in the well. The cotter installs easily without a washer.