- 71
- 1
- 8
- Location
- Eastham, Massachusetts
It took two days of driving (with my trusty dog, Bodhi) in my pickup truck, towing a trailer, to get a set of tires to Ethan's deuce. But I think they are well worth the effort and cost, as I don't trust his old 9.00x20 tires on the road. The used Michelin XZL tires are 11.00R20, which add about four inches in tire diameter and will raise the height of the deuce by two inches. I don't consider these tires a modification, as both types of tires are listed on the deuce dashboard as standard. The Canadian rims may raise an objection by a purist, as the tires will move out about two inches compared to the old a split ring rims. But the Candian rims were made for their deuces, and they are our allies. And they look great! I will have to make one minor modification, which is to reposition the spare tire mount. Because they are still mounted (that's why I called them Canadian mounties) on airtight rims they are tubeless.
The photos show my washing setup, which is simply a couple of bricks and a couple of metal posts (from trailer sides) to keep the wheels from falling over. It is such a struggle to raise them off the ground due to their weight. Curious how heavy they are, I risked our bathroom scale to weigh the tires and wheels. The scale read 144 lbs for a tire, and 248 lbs for a tire/rim wheel. I rinsed, scrubbed with a brush using Dawn dish detergent, and repeated as necessary. The shop vac is necessary for unmounted tires, as water in these tires is impossible to get out otherwise. These tires ae heavy duty and cannot be twisted like a car tire to get water out.
When my wife saw the tires all she said was that they looked dirty. She doesn't appreciate treads, etc. So I washed them. They are now standing together with a tarp over them, ready for the time when I can replace the old wheels, and in addition flip the hubs for singling, replace the axle seals, repack the bearings and check the brakes. This will be a job.
The photos compare the 9.00x20 and 11.00x20 rims and tires. The old tire was not really a good comparison, as it bulges abnormally, and lost a section of rubber, presumably during a wheel-locking panic stop. Its diameter was 38.5", while a fresh one would be 39". But it is clear that the 11.00 tires are beefier. I measured the XZL at 42.5" diameter. I expect them to be more dependable and longer lasting on the road. They will look great on Ethan's deuce!
The photos show my washing setup, which is simply a couple of bricks and a couple of metal posts (from trailer sides) to keep the wheels from falling over. It is such a struggle to raise them off the ground due to their weight. Curious how heavy they are, I risked our bathroom scale to weigh the tires and wheels. The scale read 144 lbs for a tire, and 248 lbs for a tire/rim wheel. I rinsed, scrubbed with a brush using Dawn dish detergent, and repeated as necessary. The shop vac is necessary for unmounted tires, as water in these tires is impossible to get out otherwise. These tires ae heavy duty and cannot be twisted like a car tire to get water out.
When my wife saw the tires all she said was that they looked dirty. She doesn't appreciate treads, etc. So I washed them. They are now standing together with a tarp over them, ready for the time when I can replace the old wheels, and in addition flip the hubs for singling, replace the axle seals, repack the bearings and check the brakes. This will be a job.
The photos compare the 9.00x20 and 11.00x20 rims and tires. The old tire was not really a good comparison, as it bulges abnormally, and lost a section of rubber, presumably during a wheel-locking panic stop. Its diameter was 38.5", while a fresh one would be 39". But it is clear that the 11.00 tires are beefier. I measured the XZL at 42.5" diameter. I expect them to be more dependable and longer lasting on the road. They will look great on Ethan's deuce!
