rear tires

[brokebikerbill]

Just picked up a '78 Wilmac trike, and it needs new rear tires. It's got 60's on it now, but with a passenger, the tires rub the outside edge of the
fenders. What size tires are normally run on a swingaxle trike?

 

[vwmaniac]

Soundss like you need new shocks or adjusted.

 

[brokebikerbill]

Okay, I'll check out the shocks, but the tires are shot - I still need to know what size I need to buy, instead of 60 series.

 

[vwmaniac]

Depends on if you want your tires to be inside the fenderwell or outside, you have a pic of the body, that may help?

 

[Nauga Mok]

Might also need to add 1/2 to 1 turn to the torsion bar preload. Check to see if there are any spacers between wheel & axel, if so, you could remove them. 60 series tires aren't ALL that wide, but if you really want a narrower tire, 65 series are available or you can even go to 70 series. Both 65 & 70 series tires will be taller, so you may have issues with them hitting the inside of the fender without increasing ride height via the torsion bar adjustment. It sounds like your preload just needs increasing to handle the extra weight of passenger. I'm not a VW guy, but I've messed with them a little. Maybe someone here can tell you exactly how to make this adjustment.

NM

 

[Loner]

Ditto the adjustmnet to the torsion bar/plates. Remember that aircooled VWs have been going (and sitting) for at least 35 years now and the torsion bars (which twist to act like springs) will get slightly weaker with age. Readjustment is not a difficlut task - if you know what you're doing. If you don't, they are like working on a loaded gun. Get someone who knows VWs to help you or do it for you.