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MG MGB Technical - 70 UK MGB steering wheel hub?

I've got a 1970 MGB, UK home market model (GHN5/222404, November 1970 build, RHD) and am trying to figure out which steering wheel hub I need for a Moto-Lita steering wheel. I originally ordered one from Moss US (I'm in the USA) that should have been the proper one for the year, but I think I'm running up against the differences between US and UK spec cars for that year.

The hub I have (Moss US 905-482) fits the splines but seems to have no way to mate with the slip ring that my column has. I've included a picture of what my column looks like. It seems that this is more similar to the earlier style than the later USA style. The slip ring seems to be Moss 263-755, at least as far as I can tell from the catalog.

The car had a Mountney wheel on it before, and it fit and worked properly. That hub had provision for the slip ring to bolt to the back of the hub. I'mm assuming that I need a Moto-Lita hub that works in a similar manner.

Thoughts?


Drew Frink

Here's the slip ring. You can see the Mountney hub in the background


Drew Frink

The adapter you need is for the '62 to '67 U.S. spec column. Yours is identical to my '67 column. It is a non collapsible column, whereas the '68 and later U.S. spec columns use a different column and adapter altogether. RAY
rjm RAY

Thanks, Ray (I think you answered in my thread on MGE as well). Just trying to make sure I've got it all clear before I order more parts. :)
Drew Frink

I'm just about to fit a Mota Lita steering wheel to my Aussie spec 1969 MKII MGB. There doesn't appear to be any provision for a "slip ring". What is a slip ring and what is it's function?

Thanks.

Tony
Tony Todd

The slip-ring enables a horn button in the wheel centre to sound the horn.

Up to 69 the columns had a slip-ring - a brass sleeve around the upper part of the column but electrically insulated from it. The column also had a brush which rubbed on the slip-ring as the column turned. The slip-ring was wired up the middle of the column ending in a nipple and the centre of the horn push pressed down on that to get the connection to the horns, picking up an earth to sound the horns from where it was bolted to the column.

After that the wheel hub had the slip-ring and the brush rubs on that as the wheel is turned. The slip-ring is electrically connected to one side of the horn push, either by a sprung 'pencil' in the case of factory wheels or hard-wired in the case or Moto-Lita.

More info at http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/hp.htm
PaulH Solihull

Hi Paul,
Sorry for the delay in acknowledging your detailed explanation. It was very helpful, thanks. After some dramas sorting which boss was the correct one for my car, I have now fitted the Mota Lita. Regards. Tony
Tony Todd

This thread was discussed between 18/07/2011 and 24/08/2011

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