the tires were pressed flush with the outside of the rim. at this point I cant put them back on to see if they clear everything underneath. I am waiting for parts to arrive so I can put the spindles back in. the spindle and wheel bearings were in desperate need of replacing. I found those problems when I took the wheels off to have them swapped. I will let you know when i get the wheels back on whether or not they clear as is. as for OSHA. I dont really need to worry about that. this is a forklift for home/business use but im the only one going to use it since Im the only employee so to speak. thanks for the input.