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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Wire Wheel Question... for a friend (honest)

Nev now has a midget of his own and is happily tinkering away at it as a rolling "improvement" not restoration as it doesn't need that yet.

Anyhow, he's recently had the wire wheels blasted and powder coated a very nice silver grey colour which does look very similar to the painted wheel option.

Anyhow, he's now chuntering at me (as though it's my fault) because without asking me for my opinion, he cleaned up the thread on the hubs and fitted new Spinners but he copper slipped both sets of threads and the grease has centrifuged out of the threads and covered his nice refurbed wheels.... not a happy bunny.

My question is, what grease if any do you put on the threads so I can tell him and appear far more knowledgible to him than I really am.

Ta

Andrew
Andrew McGee

Andrew. Back when I used wire wheels, I used the aluminum based anti-seize compound on the threads. A very light coating. It looked almost the same color as the wheels and any excess cleaned up easily the first time I washed the wheels. In the early days, some 35 years ago now, I used axle grease, again lightly applied, and cleaned the wheels with hot, soapy water a few days after replacing them. Do not know if either of the anti-seize compounds would damage or discolor the powder coat. But, a quick trip of several miles, followed by a quick wash of the wheels, should minimize any possible damage to the finish. It never damaged the painted finish that I noticed.

Les
Les Bengtson

Don't be heavy with the antiseize, use silver AS, clean the inside of the hubs and cover the spoke ends with silicon sealant. Any grease or AS should wash off the powder coat easily. I do not think powder coat is much good for wire wheels, as you will still get rust coming out of the spoke joints, since powder coat cannot be gotten into the joints; in fact, it is common that powder coated wheels still have bare spots, which will start rusting yesterday.

FRM
FR Millmore

You could try motorcycle chain grease which is sold as being "Anti Fling" so shouldn't fly off all over the wheels.
I can endorse FR's comment about powder coating on wires. I was thinking about having it done, but my friend had his done on his MGB and only three months down the road he is getting rusty streaks coming out from where the spokes meet the wheel.

Bernie.
b higginson

This thread was discussed between 23/04/2012 and 24/04/2012

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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