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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - wire wheel spinners - how tight?

I know the eared type are just done up with a copper / hide hammer, but the hex ones can be done with a spanner, so what would be the torque setting? I think they're 8 tpi if that helps...
David Smith

I have the hex ones and just use the short type spanner and a lead hammer as you do with the eared spinners. Never seen a torque setting quoted anywhere.

Interestingly I prefer the look of the hex ones but I seem to be in the minority on that one.

Trev
T Mason

It's actually for a 1963 Iso Rivolta race car; we have a tool with 4-foot bar that fits, need a torque setting as we think we may be over-tightening them! I'm hoping that a 'proper' engineer will tell me how to calculate it.
David Smith

I think a four foot bar is definitely too much. I have not seen one in the flesh but the long ones that the usual suspects sell look to be about eighteen inches I would guess from photos. As I said no idea of a figure but cant see as it needs to be too tight as they tighten themselves up with use and I have had trouble undoing them in the past having just used the lead hammer to do them up.

Trev
T Mason

Probably not of much help, but recommended torque figures for Lotus Elan centre-lock nuts is 200 lbft
Simon Wood

Blimey Simon that seems high. I have just looked at the MWS site and they state that there are no torque figures for spinners.

Trev
T Mason

Trev:

http://www.lotuselan.net/forums/lotus-suspension-f42/wheel-spinner-torque-settings-t31091.html

On the Elan, the nuts are threaded in the opposite direction to those found on Sprites & midgets. Something to do with the way they are seated I believe. Perhaps that explains why the torque figure is as stated
Simon Wood

200 lb.ft is the right torque for the Elan. I had a tool for fitting the three-eared spinner and used a 2 foot breaker bar. If I put my whole weight on the bar at the 18 inch mark, I was pretty close to 200 lb.ft. I wouldn't be at all surprised if your MG spinners aren't in the same ball-park once you've beaten them with your hammer!

The Elan's spinners fit inside the wheel centre, unlike the MG type which fit over the wheel centre. This apparently accounts for the fact that the threads are reversed on the two cars. On the Elan the right hand thread goes on the right side of the car and vice versa. Both Elan and MG have them arranged the way they are so that the spinner tends to tighten in use.
Mike Howlett

thanks all, we'll go with the Elan figure and keep an eye on them.
David Smith

Dave
Just stumbled across this thread
I reckon 200 will be too light
The Lotus hub thread is smaller dia.
What size spline does the Iso have
MG size or the larger Jag size
If it's the MG size--
A mate has a 365 GTC Ferrarri on Borani 8"wheels
These cars run the smaller MG size spline and the spec that came with the wheels was 280 ft/lb
Hope this is of use
willy

Also may be of interest or not--------
Years ago I ran a 3" live drive Halibrand diff in the Chev racer and it's knock on wheel tightening spec was 300ft/lb or 400 with the forged steel nuts--wasn't enough
Had the forged nuts and ended up tightening them as tight as we could with a four foot bar bouncing on it--must have been round 600 to stop them working loose.
Tried it with the tube around the other way just to see once (threads going other way)
You could tweek the nuts right up and they would be loose after two laps like that--It was worth a try, at least to know not to try it again

What size/state of tune is your Chev----
William Revit

thanks Willy; it's on Borrani wheels and although I haven't measured it, the hubs look very similar size to our MGs. Maybe 280 would be a better bet. It's not my car, but I'm the spanner-man for 5 days on the Modena Cento Ore so if a wheel falls off it's my fault!
It's a 327 with approaching 400 bhp...
David Smith

There was a guy here by the name of Chris Stephens that ran an Iso in Targa Tasmania
It was a pretty well sorted car and he absolutely rung it's neck--Always good to watch him in action specially on the street stages
He turned up to a practice day at our local circuit to give it a run and set a new Historic Group Nb track record

400 Hp should be a nice useable little engine
What max revs are we using


--Nothing revs like a Chev--
Cheers
willy
William Revit

This thread was discussed between 31/05/2017 and 02/06/2017

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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