Firstly, yes -- you need to flex the rear dropouts apart when installing rear wheel (having 3 hands helps), but that's a minor annoyance.
Secondly: most 8-speed cogsets are on freehubs (cassette rather than freewheel); is yours? Mfgrs tried to do 8-speed freewheels, but the increased distance between right dropout and right bearing caused a lot of axle breakage; so they're rare now, and I wouldn't use one myself (180#). Most 8-speed setups have 130 mm dropout spacing; I never heard of one fitting in 126 unless maybe one of those Sheldon Brown "you can fit 8 speeds of a 10-speed cassette on a 7-speed freehub" things.
There are no dumb questions, only dumb actions based on not asking questions.
Price of admission is posting photos of your BJ, though . . .
Originally Posted by
Beach Comber
Not to hijack this thread, but my question may also be of interest to the OP.
For you who have flexed your stays to use a 130, how to you handle flats in the field? is their a cute field trick to making wheel reattachment easier?
Having a riding partner helps; lacking that, cursing and scratching up chainstays with chain and axle locknuts may suffice.