MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - LE Wheels-lug nuts

Can anyone tell me if the special lug nuts for the original MGB LE wheels have a 60 degree taper at the bottom or are they flat? A little confusion as there are now aftermarket LE rims being sold by Moss,VB and others on the net. The lug nuts they supply with these "new" aftermarket wheels have a taper, will these work for the old original LE rims? Also what is the hex size?
Thanks for any light shed here.
Mike
MK Mike

Would be determined by the wheels, wouldn't it? Using tapered nuts with non-tapered wheels and vice-versa would be dangerous as the nuts would be more likely to come loose. FWIW the V8 alloys had a flat wheel centre with oversize and nuts that went into the holes to position the wheel on the studs and large 'washers' clamping down onto the face of the wheel centre. Also FWIW when I was an apprentice with the UK Telco many years ago they serviced their own vehicles. The vehicles came with special wheel nuts with a taper both ends, presumably as the mechanics couldn't be trusted to put them on the right way round. Also many years ago I knew of a lad just started as an apprentice at a garage who was told to put the wheels back on a customers car before he went home for the night. Being a lazy tike and thinking he would do it in the morning before the customer picked up the car, so slotted the wheels on the studs, put the nuts under the hub caps and jacked the car down. Of course the customer arrived first, exit one ex-apprentice.
Paul Hunt

The original LE lug nuts have a taper and are NOT flat
Jim Pelletterie

The original type LE lug nut is shown here.
http://www.englishparts.com/products/gb/MG/MGB/NUT--LUG-NUT--LE-WHEEL-ONLY--1977-1980/5480/264-990.html
It does have a taper and a flat alignment guide under the taper.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

Clifton
Great to see a detailed picture of it. Now my LE wheels came from a Triumph Stag, supposedly the same wheel,correct? The lug nuts that came off that car are FLAT at the bottom, although a defferent thread size than the 1/2x 20 MGB lug nut. As far as I can see there is no cone shape at the bottom of the nut hole on these wheels It seems like all the aftermarket lug nuts that would fit have a 60 degree taper.
Mike
MK Mike

Mike. I have been somewhat busy and have not had time to pull a wheel off my LE for measuring until a few minutes ago.

The LE lug nut measures 15/16" across the flats and would have a 15/16" socket used with them rather than the 13/16" size of the standard lug nuts for the Rostyle wheels.

The hole in the wheels, where the lug nuts fit through, measures .709" in diameter and the area to the outside is tapered to match the taper on the LE lug nut.

The straight area of the LE lug nut, ahead of the taper and fitting through the hole in the rim, measures .694".

Thus, it looks like these wheels were originally designed to be used with a 9/16" stud and the standard coned/tapered style of lug nut as is in common use. They have been adapted to the MGB through the use of the special lug nuts, and only those lug nuts should be used with an LE wheel.

I have heard claims that the wheels on the North American specification Limited Edition models were identical to the wheels used on the Triumph Stag. I have also heard that they were similar in appearance to the wheels used on the Stag, but that the two wheels would not interchange. I have access to an LE, but do not know of anyone having a Stag that I can inspect. Hence, that the wheels are identical/can be interchanged, as some have claimed must remain unproven until we have someone do actual, documented tests of this.

Again, sorry to take so long in responding. Les
Les Bengtson

Les
Thank You for that information. As stated, the wheels I have are from a '74 Triumph Stat. I have put one on the rear of my '70 BGT and it seemed to fit fine, I loosely bolted down with my Rostyle lug nuts but could tell they were not quite right. I can't remember what mine looked like but I have heard that possibly the middle hub bolt on the MGB may protrude a bit too far forward making it necessary to use spacers behind the wheel to make the LE center cap fit, but I need to double check this. I was sure I could find a aftermarket nut for this but guess I'll have to bite the bullet and purchase those $$expensive$$ lug nuts made for the wheels. Thanks again for the measurments and no problem with the late post, your answers and advise are always worth waithing for.
Mike
MK Mike

This thread was discussed between 26/09/2008 and 01/10/2008

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now