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MG TD TF 1500 - Steering Wheel Spoke Fixing

The image below shows what's happened to the hub end of my steering wheel spokes. A couple of years ago I had someone reweld the broken spokes. I'm afraid that butt-welding stainless steel doesn't do it. I'm considering trying an approach where I would slide a piece of s/s tubing over the spoke and slide it into a 'tunnel' machined into the hub. I would then use some sort of magical adhesive to hold the tubing over the two sections of the spokes.
Does anybody know what the inside of the hub looks like? How are the ends of the spokes secured into the hub? I'd like to salvage the wheel. I can't say it's original, but it's been with Lazarus for a long time. Any help, or info, would certainly be appreciated. TIA. Bud


Bud Krueger

Bud,
I'm a welding engineer, and I wouldn't try to weld the spokes for fear of messing up the hub. I always pull our TD out of the garage so I have more room to climb in. My wife would pull it out just because I did it, but she used the steering wheels, so now we have 2 wasted ones.
On ebay, someone in the UK offers an upgrade- "MG TF MG TD YB YA Steering wheel wood upgrade classic wood rim" With round trip shipping, it would come close to $300. On my inquiry about broken spokes, the response- "Hi we can weld the hub, drill it and thread a new spoke in all for the same price."
Does this answer the question? Not quite. What does "weld the hub" imply? Drill beside the broken stubs?Would this result in a structural or just cosmetic fix?
I'm going to inquire further and request they respond directly here.
JIM NORTHRUP SR

Hi Jim, about 3/8" of the hub was sacrificed to get enough meat for the last butt welds. Wish I knew how much more spoke is inside of the hub. Thanks. Bud
Bud Krueger

Jim,

Is the implication the spokes are threaded into the hub? Perhaps they cut the spoke off through the hub, weld it up, then thread it for a replacement spoke. All conjecture for sure. I'm really interested in their response.

I'm in the same boat with broken spokes. I've been watching for one on Ebay on which I can install a wood rim but I haven't spotted one yet.
J E Carroll

Jim, I have no idea of how the inner end of the spokes are held into the hub. Is the hub an aluminum casting with the spokes in place when cast? There's no indication of any looseness as there is at the outer end.
There's been a wheel on eBay foe the past while that looks like what you're after. Last I knew there were no bids at about $40. 171119941706 expires at 10am today. Bud
Bud Krueger

Bud & JE,
I had my eye on the ebay steering wheel when I ran across the "upgrade. Here's their response...

Hi Jim,
we would drill out the broken spoke, tig weld the hub, re drill and then make up a new stainless spoke that is threaded at one end. We then screw this into the hub and cut it to end at the outer steel ring and stick weld it to the ring using a dis similar rod.
I have never taken any pictures of this process but can assure you that i am from an engineering background, having worked for Black Beth engineering for 11 years restoring steam traction engines and steam launches, then on to several companies welding pressure vessels and metal building structures.
I have around 6 Mg t series wheels in stock and if you'd prefer you could exchange your broken wheels for a sound unit at same cost. Kind regards Rupert

I have to interpret, they drill through the hub somewhere close to the center to detach the spoke deep down in the casting, then extract it? I informed Rupert that all 4 spoke are broken, so what does that do for drilling out all four? The idea of the threaded spoke isn't clear, unless the spoke has rolled threads that are upraise larger than the spoke OD. Actually, I'd figure epoxy would work just fine if the spoke is insert maybe 2 inches.

Something to think about.
JIM NORTHRUP SR

Missed it Bud. Maybe it will be relisted.

Jim
J E Carroll

This thread was discussed on 11/09/2013

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