Fitting 4 inch (100mm) wide wheel onto Ruff Tango??

[La Zona Imagery]

I am trying to fit a 4 inch (100mm) wide wheel onto a Ruff Tango. The rim itself fits since the length between chain stays and seats stays is 135mm. However, the length of the hub from lock nut to lock nut is 140mm. And the length between the rear dropouts is about 138mm. So the hub barely does not fit.

What I am thinking of doing is remove the hub, and instal a narrow hub around 130mm onto the wheel so that it fits between the dropouts. Does this sound like a good plan? Or will I be running into more problems?

The wheels are off of a Mongoose Beast. They are exactly 4 inches wide (100mm)

 

[deven_science]

Were it me, I'd just pry the drops apart enough to get the hub in there. We're only talking about a couple of millimeters. It won't damage the hub to be squeezed like that, and the frame has enough flexibility to snap back when you remove it.

 

[Ldog33]

^^^, what he said. Same thing on my porucho, just grab a long 2x4 and bend the drop on one side, then flipping and doing the other.

 

[Ichoptop]

All thread is your friend. thread 3 nuts into the middle of a piece of at least 1/2 all thread. put a large fender washer on the outside of each nut. Put the all thread in the drop outs and thread then nuts out by hand until tight. Then turn each nut a half turn at a time equally to slowly bend the rear section out. With a steel frame stretch the rear section about 1/4 per side farther then you need it as the steel will spring back some.

 

[La Zona Imagery]

Thanks for the tips, but I misspoke when I wrote the original post. The original coaster brake was 175 mm wide...so it was way to wide for my frame. I just decided to install a 2-speed coaster break instead which is 130mm wide: