norskagent

not sure whether to ask this here, or touring, or commuting.
but since my main interest is c&v...
I'm thinking about getting a rear rack for my '80 mclean bike w/ rack bosses on the seatstays.
So I wanted one that would attach directly to them without additional parts, adaptors, etc.
I found one with top mounting struts ~50mm apart (inside). My bosses are 55mm apart (outer faces). The struts appear to be about 3" long. Soooo, can I spread them to 55mm without damaging the welds or anything else? Rack is aluminum...

Scooper

Is there any way to use 2.5mm spacers on each side between the mounting struts and the bosses?

I just don't like the idea of stressing aluminum to fit.

norskagent

well the struts are ~5mm thick or so, and the bosses are ~43mm apart, so I would have to squeeze the struts to fit inside, or spread them to fit outside. I think. It's a vintage rack on ebay so I'm trying to figure if it's worth going for.

Doohickie

No, it's the other away around the way I read it.

Unless you're carrying his & her bowling balls, I don't think it will be an issue. I have an old Blackburn rack on my bike. The rack came from another bike I wrecked, and during the wreck, the rack got bent. I bent it back as straight as I could get it and continue to use it to this day on my commuter bike, a year after the wreck.

No worries.

norskagent

struts:

bosses:
struts appear to be ~48mm apart in the pic.
bosses are 43 inside, 55 outside.
so I can spread the 48 to 55, or squeeze them to fit inside of the 43 dimension.
sounds like it can handle it.

Scooper

Oops. You're right; I misread it. The struts would have to get bent.