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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Steering wheel boss

Hi all, as I have MG F seats in my midget I thought I would treat myself to a smaller (14" instead of 15.5" as standard) steering wheel courtesy of the well known auction site. It's an Astrali copy.

I fitted it ok expecting to be able to get out of the drivers seat in a slightly more dignified way, but no!!!

The boss is over an inch deeper than standard so is closer to my chest making it harder to get out.

Has anyone got a shallower boss for a 6 hole fitting steering wheel? This one is 2.25" deep plus the wheel is slightly dished, maybe another 1/2". So I'm after a boss about 1" deep. It's for a 1973 Midget.

I had thought of cutting and welding but my welding skills on steel are bad enough, so aluminium welding would be beyond my capabilities, and maybe not recommended for such a critical component.

Rob
Rob aka MG Moneypit

couldnt you use your origional boss?
Mick - still wiring!!

can you turn the wheel back to front ?
Then you will get an inch as the dish is 1/2"
Andy Phillips (frankenfrog)

"can you turn the wheel back to front ?"

Not uncommon on race cars.
Dave O'Neill 2

Rob,I have a spare 13" Wheel C/W Boss,Paul
p kiely

Hi all,
Mick the standard boss can't be used. Although it is 6 hole the holes are not symetrical where as the one I bought is 6 holes evenly spaced.

Andy and Dave, could do, though it's stitched fake leather and where it is wrapped around the 3 spokes it is stitched on the back. A bit unsightly. I may give it a go if it doesn't rain tomorrow.

Paul, thanks for the offer. Is the boss a shallow one? I wouldn't want to go to a 13" wheel, I don't like the way they make the car feel. I looked on ebay for quite a while for a 14" thick rim wheel before I got this one. Not a common size for some reason.

If I get a chance I'll post an image tomorrow.

Rob
Rob aka MG Moneypit

strangely, I have a 14 inch Astrali too. It's on a mountney boss. It has those finger grip bits on the back so turning it round makes it look and feel really odd...
Rob Armstrong

Rob,measured it earlier,its 2" deep with six screws
p kiely

You can redrill and file the astrali / mountney wheels to fit the original boss but you need to file off the small fillets from the around the edge of the boss to allow the wheel to sit down flat, this means you can put the old wheel back ok but there is just a small gap visible where the fillet used to be. This also allows the original horn system to be retained
Alan McKewan

Rob, I found a 14" wheel I liked and had to do exactly what Alan mentioned. After filing the hub flat, I made a spacer out of 1/8" steel and drilled and tapped it for the hub and then for the wheel. With a little tweaking of the spring fingers, I was able to use the stock MG horn push! (I don't know how to post more than one picture, so I made a collage.)


Jack Orkin

Yep I did what jack did except I used 10mm ally, works great.
R W Bowers

I simply reversed mine and find it very comfortable. You may notice that I turned it upside dow too, so that the spokes don't obscure the tacho and speedo in the straight ahead position.I was still able to use the centre horn, and touched in the exposed rivets between rim and spokes with matt black paint.

I like the quick feel, but the downside is that it is heavy to manoeuvre when parallel parking.

That said, I am on the lookout for a nice feely 14 inch, which I think would be a better compromise


Peter Blockley

Thanks to one and all. I have some 8mm ally plate so will give it a go.

I've had 13" wheels before and don't like the feel it give the car. Much prefer a 14", thick rim.

Rob
Rob aka MG Moneypit

This thread was discussed between 10/10/2014 and 14/10/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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