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MG MGA - Tire to Wire

My '58 is running 165R15 Dunlop tires on original steel wheels (a couple slightly dinged along the rims) I just got an email that Moss has chrome wheels on sale now...but the sizes offered confuse me.
What amount of spokes and size would you all recommend?
Any other parts I should order to make the change?

Thank you-
Safey Fast-
Joe
Joe Walck

You need to replace the entire rear axle assembly, front bearing hubs, and front brake drums, and add the correct font splined hubs. Ergo, the conversion to wire wheels gets very expensive. The best way to do this is find someone else who wants to change from wire wheels to disc wheels, park the two cars side by side, and swap all necessary parts in one day.
Barney Gaylord

I was seriuosly considering to change to wire wheels my 56 mga as wellb , and I thought the best way to go about it is to change to Dayton bolt on wire wheels since apparently you do not need to do any modifications at all. However I wish to get feedback from mga owners who have gone this way. These wheels are more expensive than the dunlop but by far superior, at least that is what I read.
c vassallo

You do not have to change the entire rear axle assembly. Conversion half shafts are available that utilize the standard steel wheel axle. The down side is that the wire wheels sit slightly wider than standard wire wheel MGAs. I have this conversion on my car and it works fine and is only reasonably noticeable to the purists.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, I am in the middle of that conversion now. Any tips? Tried your site but WW conversion goes straight to Bob West's site. Shane
Shanerj

Shane

I did the conversion in July 1999 so my memory is long gone on useful tips. The following is the list of items I got from Bob to do the conversion for a drum-braked 1500, keeping the drums. I think all the numbers are also Moss numbers, except may be the halfshafts. Just looked in their book and the number is different:

1. 5 x wire wheels (WWP452)
2. 2 x MG RH spinners (AHH7317A)
3. 2 x MG LH spinners (AHH7318A)
4. 1 x Hub Fr RH MGTD/F & MGA (ATB4180)
5. 1 x Hub Fr LH MGTD/F & MGA (ATB4181)
6. 1 x Hub RR RH MGA (ATB7204)
7. 1 x Hub RR LH MGA (ATB7205)
8. 8 x HT nut 7/16" (FNZ507)
9. 4 x L/tab W/W B/drum MGA (ATB7209)
10. 6 x locktab (ATB4125)
11. 2 x gasket flange (GFG111)
12. 2 x Seal RR MGA/B banjo (GHS211)
13. 2 x O-ring seal banjo (ATB7354)
14. 2 x Seal FR hub TD-MGA (ACF4004)
15. 2 x Brake drum FR 1500 WW (ATB4165)
16. 2 x Conversion halfshafts (KO184/10)

I recall I was able either to re-use the bearings or bought them locally, so you may wish to add these to the list.

One other thing I seem to recall is that item number 8 is for thin nuts for the rear brake drum. This gives clearance between the drum studs and wire wheels.

Steve
Steve Gyles

Steve, Many thanks. My 'set' came from SC Parts, who did not supply the nuts, gaskets, oil rings or locking tabs. Came with front bearings, otherwise same as yours. The Moss catalogue also shows 'ATB4131 - grease retainer'. Is that necessary?

I was surprised that there was no grease retaining cap on the rears (would be a different size from standard, so does not exist) and that I should use Blue Hylomar instead. A set of instructions would have been useful but Monty at SC is being very helpful. Shane
Shanerj

The WW rear axle is 7/8 inch shorter each side than the DW axle, allowing for length of the splined hubs. Installing WW hubs on the DW axle using conversion half shafts sets the rear wheels 7/8 inch farther outboard closer to the fenders. Bolt-on splined hub adapters set the wheels slightly farther out, about another 1/4 inch each side.

Tires closer to the fenders looks odd, but it can work with standard size wheels and tires. That is, 4 or 4-1/2 inch wide wire wheels and 155 or 165-80-15 tires will work and not rub on the fenders (marginally). If you ever want to use wider tires on wire wheels, then the rear axle has to change to the proper narrower track width, as it is impossible to find wire wheels with larger offset.
Barney Gaylord

Shane

There was another item on the invoice that I did not publish because I thought they were for the engine. On reflection they may have been the grease retaining cups!

2 x Core Plug 1 5/16 dish (2K8160).

Barney. Sounds about right. Never had any rubbing on the fender. This is what they look like. Running 165s.

Steve

Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 06/07/2011 and 07/07/2011

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