Closed Fork Drop Out Question

[Archie Sturmer]

Some old hubs are about 90mm wide, and the more modern standard might be more like 100mm. That would be 10mm more extra stretching.
Common modern replacement axles are about 5+1/2” long (140mm) and 26-tpi.

 

[WetDogGraphix]

My 36 Tri-Bar Hawthorne has this fork. My axle is 3/8" x 5 1/2". What I have done, on all of my closed end forks (even on my LWB Colson) is to drill that hole just a little larger. It allows a better angle for the axle. I also have no air in the tire..I was fighting that a lot....

 

[old hotrod]

I looked at a few, early schwinn, westfield and ND. The prewar axles were 5" to 5-1/2" and hubs measured 3-1/2" outside jam nut to jam nut (fork inside measurement).

 

[vincev]

I would not spread the fork.I would loosen the nuts on the axle and readjust the axle after greasing the bearings.Adjust the nuts so the axle is centered in the fork with equal overhang on each side of the fork,Set bearings.