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MG TD TF 1500 - TF steering wheel

Last fall, I acquired a 1955 MG-TF. It has a lot of problems, but I'm pretty excited about it. I should get seriously started on a restoration this summer.

Anyway, I ordered a replacement wheel from Moss and it has a smooth hub with a keyway. It doesn't fit my steering column, which has a splined hub. The wheel that came off the car is a Brooklands style, but unfortunately, it is very badly deteriorated, and would be very hard to fix (broken spokes, worn splines, rim material crumbling and falling apart).

I'm thinking that Moss probably has sent me the correct wheel but my TF may have had an MGA steering column (TC?) inserted at some point in its lifetime. A lot can happen to a car in 45 years... The car is right-hand-drive, if that makes any difference. I have a web page at http://www.geocities.com/mgtfdiary for the car, but this page will be extremely boring until this summer when work begins of the car in earnest.
Mark B.

Mark
I saw your message on the BBS page and thought I would have a look at your steering wheel problems. The wheel shown on the car looks to be an original MGA steering wheel. I would say that it would be a good seller to anyone doing an MGA restoration (reasonably rare). I think you may have an MGA/MGB steering column fitted to your TF. This should explain why the moss wheel would not fit. The car being right-hand-drive, would not make any difference (Australian cars are RHD).

Happy MG Motoring

Bruce Jackson
Brisbane
Bruce Jackson

Thanks, Bruce. That's about what I figured. I'll research my options. The column is the telescoping type (I believe used on MGAs).

MB
Mark B.

Mark , The TF had a telescoping wheel also! All referance I have says "TAN". I sent a pic of mine to your email.
Best Regards & luck on your project!
David
55 TF 1500
David Sheward

Hi, the short splined stub that the steering wheel goes on is interchangeable between a TD/F and a MGA, that is, the actual steering column will accept either stub. The TD/F steering wheel had a keyed taper hub and the MGA had a splined hub.
Hugh Pite
Hugh Pite

Thanks for the info, Hugh. It's right on point, and good news, since I might be able to avoid buying an entire replacement steering column. I'll start looking for the correct part. Thanks again.

MB
Mark B

Do the TD wheel and MGA wheel look the same? I have a toasted TD wheel, but a very nice MGA wheel. While the MGA wheel is splined, the keyway notch looks identical and the diameter looks the same. So I believe that it will fit the TD column.

But will it look "right?"
Ira Spector

No, the TD wheel has three, four spoke/wire springs equally spaced around the wheel. The MGA has four, four spoke/wire springs attached.

Happy MG Motoring

Bruce
Bruce Jackson

This thread was discussed between 30/04/2001 and 01/05/2001

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.