14" wire wheels

[Tim R]

Personally I would NEVER try to torque any centre lock wheel up to anything like 220lb-ft. Think about it for a minute, centre lock wheel are designed to be self-tightening. If the hubs and wheels are fitted correctly they are being turned in the direction of tightening all the time the car is being driven. The ONLY way that these should ever work loose is if the hubs are fitted incorrectly or if the spinners are left physically loose and the splines chatter and wear away.
The original Dunlop wire wheel instructions direct that the wheel is fitted while the car is jacked up and state that you should lift the car on the jack BEFORE you hammer it to ensure centralisation. To me it makes sense to loosen the wheel while it is on the ground and to strike it another couple of times when back on the ground and already fairly tight when re-fitting it, just to make sure but don't go nuts.
We NEVER hit the spinner directly and always use either a spinner sleeve or the special tool shown in this video made by LIMIT Fabrications (no connection) and strike them instead. This is much kinder to the spinner and wheel.

Tim R

 

[wtaylor]

In the early 80's I had a 76 MGB. I took it in to have a tube that kept leaking down replaced. The tire shop did not know what they were doing. I drove for about 30 miles after leaving the shop before I came to a stop light. When I applied the brakes I heard a buzzing sound. I was able to pull into a parking lot and when I stopped I heard the spinner hit the ground. Luckly the hub was ok, but the wheel was ruined. After this I would never fit a wire wheel to a car if it was not maid to fit it. I know there are shops that make wheels for motorcycles maybe you could find someone that could lace an Alpine center to a MG outer.

 

[Jay Laifman]

Now to push it one more step. I just learned that the MGC actually had 15" wheels on the same hub! That opens up even more tire selection. Ha! But I'm thinking that much open wire wheel on the Alpine would be too much.

Jim, the mating surfaces of the wheel and the spinner are angled - like a pipe thread. They do not bottom at the tip. So taking off some won't change where the spinner stops tightening.

 

[Jay Laifman]

In the early 80's I had a 76 MGB. I took it in to have a tube that kept leaking down replaced. The tire shop did not know what they were doing. I drove for about 30 miles after leaving the shop before I came to a stop light. When I applied the brakes I heard a buzzing sound. I was able to pull into a parking lot and when I stopped I heard the spinner hit the ground. Luckly the hub was ok, but the wheel was ruined. After this I would never fit a wire wheel to a car if it was not maid to fit it. I know there are shops that make wheels for motorcycles maybe you could find someone that could lace an Alpine center to a MG outer.

Yes, I have a couple Alpine centers and I am planning on lacing it up to one of the MG outers. I'm hoping to use the MG spokes on the wheels I have as a test. But for old wire wheels, those adjusting nuts are often frozen on the rims. I sprayed them up with liquid wrench over the weekend, and will keep spraying until next weekend, and see if I can have any luck. Wire wheel shops just cut them all out and start with new ones. I'm not ready to spend that much on the spokes yet - especially because I think they will need to be different lengths.

 

[hierogk]

Yes, I have a couple Alpine centers and I am planning on lacing it up to one of the MG outers. I'm hoping to use the MG spokes on the wheels I have. But for old, unused wire wheels, those adjusting nuts are often frozen on the rims. I sprayed them up with liquid wrench over the weekend, and will keep spraying until next weekend, and see if I can have any luck. Wire wheel shops just cut them all out and start with new ones. I'm not ready to spend that much on the spokes yet - especially because I think they will need to be different lengths.

I tried what I was told was an MGB 14" wire wheel on my Series IV Alpine and the wheel hit the caliper on the front and the drum on the rear. Maybe the wheel was from some other vehicle.

 

[JackSun]

My rusted nuts / bolts experience …. Resurrecting a SV that had been sitting in a Texas barn since 1987 …… I had ALL
the “ rusted bolts/nuts “ penetrating oil sprays lined up as I had no scarcity of need ……. Jay , “ Free All “ , in my rather
unscientific , no placebo test ….was the only one that actually worked ! Have sent most , including the Liquid Wrench
out on the last oil recycle day ….. I’d give the spokes a Free All shower ! It’s all I use now …. Amazon it .
Although 15’s ….still curious if AH & Triumph wheels are same hub dims as MGB ? Good Luck on the spokes . Jack

 

[Bill Blue]

Now to push it one more step. I just learned that the MGC actually had 15" wheels on the same hub! That opens up even more tire selection. Ha! But I'm thinking that much open wire wheel on the Alpine would be too much.

Jim, the mating surfaces of the wheel and the spinner are angled - like a pipe thread. They do not bottom at the tip. So taking off some won't change where the spinner stops tightening.

A few years back, an Alpine wearing 15" X 165 wires appeared at an Invasion. I thought they looked terrific.

 

[alpine_64]

A few years back, an Alpine wearing 15" X 165 wires appeared at an Invasion. I thought they looked terrific.

Bill what size wheels 15×4, 4.5, 5? With 165 series tyres id guess might be a mga wheel 15×4.5

 

[Greggers]

Bill what size wheels 15×4, 4.5, 5? With 165 series tyres id guess might be a mga wheel 15×4.5

If Bill’s referring to the red car at the 2013 Invasion in Columbia, SC, it’s the Tolbert Alpine I mentioned earlier in this thread. According to an older thread “Wire wheels (again)”, they’re 72-spoke TR6 wheels. The post doesn’t say the width, but I just super zoomed on a photo of it, and it looks like 185/65-R15 for the tires.

Edit: Another site has 72-spoke at only the 5.5” width. Take this info with a large grain of salt.

 

[Bill Blue]

If Bill’s referring to the red car at the 2013 Invasion in Columbia, SC, it’s the Tolbert Alpine I mentioned earlier in this thread. According to an older thread “Wire wheels (again)”, they’re 72-spoke TR6 wheels. The post doesn’t say the width, but I just super zoomed on a photo of it, and it looks like 185/65-R15 for the tires.

Edit: Another site has 72-spoke at only the 5.5” width. Take this info with a large grain of salt.

Sorry that I know nothing of the particulars of the Alpine, I was only commenting on the looks of a large wire wheel on an Alpine. As it appears that my memory has been trumped by photographic evidence, its best I leave it that way. I remember that it looked terrific, that is my story and I'm sticking with it.
Bill

 

[Jay Laifman]

FYI, I just learned that the Midget on the first page of this thread actually has 15" TR4 wheels. He says they are a direct match for the hub. Now to know if 15" looks good on the Alpine. I'm not really thinking it does.

 

[Knightowl61]

Interesting, first time I looked at 15" wires. All the wheel spokes are all in one outer row. Our 13" have 2 rows which I'm sure gives it more support. I would think 15" wires would need even more support, but apparently they work.
Example: TRIUMPH TR2, TR3, TR4, TR4A- 15" 60 SPOKE WHEEL- Original, Reconditioned | eBay
And I only count 48 spokes.

 

[JackSun]

Look @ Atlanta, Ga. C L , “ auto , wheels tires “ , there’s a set of TR 4 wheels / tires , ( $200. ) listed as “ wire wheels . Tires
Tubes for Classic British Cars “ , they are 48 spoke w/ good pic of the wheels / hubs . I don’t have wire wheels so no Alpine
wheels to compare to .

 

[Jay Laifman]

I got a cool picture of a Tiger with 72 spoke 15" wheels on it. Looks pretty good!

But now I have someone telling me the TR wheels are identical to the MGB wheels. If he is right, that means the hubs are no better. But the 15" wheels do have lots of tire options in the right diameter.

 

[JackSun]

Google deep enough & you find ….. There’s a July 2, 2017 posting , Stock Alpine : Splined Hubs for Wire Wheels
addressing the MGB wheel question ….the last entry from Ken Ellis , July 6, 2017 w/ a posted thread : 14” MGB
wires on an Alpine , describing the issues . I guess I’m not tech enough to get the thread to pull up .
I don’t have or want wire wheels but it’s made me curious ……

 

[Greggers]

There’s a July 2, 2017 posting , Stock Alpine : Splined Hubs for Wire Wheels
addressing the MGB wheel question

https://forum.sunbeamalpine.org/index.php?threads/splined-hubs-for-wire-wheels.25748/#post-175476

 

[todd reid]

I actually ran MGB 14" wires on my Series V for a couple years back in the 1980's (before crossing over to the dark side). I ran 165/80-14 tires. That plus a switch to a 3.89 rear made the car a lot more livable in the then current conditions. Rootes actually experimented with 14" wheels - they fit my car great with no modifications, and (in my opinion) looked better than stock. The first time my right rear wheel past me I put it down to my error - possibly forgetting to tighten the spinner. The second time triggered my switch to bolt on wheels. The threads on the spinner were gone. Luckily no one was hurt in either incident, but it was definitely unnerving and dangerous. Based on my experience, I would highly recommend not using stock MGB wire wheels. If you can replace the MGB splined hub with Alpine parts then I think you would have a winner.

TR

 

[Jay Laifman]

I actually ran MGB 14" wires on my Series V for a couple years back in the 1980's (before crossing over to the dark side). I ran 165/80-14 tires. That plus a switch to a 3.89 rear made the car a lot more livable in the then current conditions. Rootes actually experimented with 14" wheels - they fit my car great with no modifications, and (in my opinion) looked better than stock. The first time my right rear wheel past me I put it down to my error - possibly forgetting to tighten the spinner. The second time triggered my switch to bolt on wheels. The threads on the spinner were gone. Luckily no one was hurt in either incident, but it was definitely unnerving and dangerous. Based on my experience, I would highly recommend not using stock MGB wire wheels. If you can replace the MGB splined hub with Alpine parts then I think you would have a winner.

TR

That is great, and unfortunate, information.

What do you mean the threads o the spinner were gone? Do you think the threads failed because there were less being gripped? Or could it have been faulty even if you had Alpine wires on?

 

[Limey]

Due to the troubles in finding the right tires, I'm now thinking about the 14" wire wheel option. Here are my thoughts/questions, if anyone knows:

1. I've long understood that the 14" MGB wire wheel hub is longer than the Alpine hub. So the spinner doesn't get a lot of threads when tightened down. And the angle of the back of the MG wheel is different than the angle on the hub. So it is not a nice flat match. I do recall people on this board saying that's ok, and they do it. I'm still nervous about it.
2. Is it remotely possible to lace MGB rims to an Alpine/Spitfire hub? And if remotely possible, is it too expensive to bother?
3. Would the MGB rim laced to an Alpine/Spitfire hub put the rim in a bad spot from an offset point of view?
4. Is there even 14" tires for the MGB wheel that would give a nice "stock" look, and not need to be oddly low profile?
5. Anyone have pictures of MGB 14" wires on an Alpine? Does it look nice or silly?

And yes, I know there is the minilite knock off option. Love it on some cars (like John's). But it's not the look I want.

 

[Limey]

Pic of mine if it helps. It really doesn't slope as much as this. The camera wide angle was not helpful here.

MWS MGB 14'' with UK Blockley 165s Radials which have a period look and they also have a clean side wall for the white wall treatment.

They fill the arches well and transformed the drive. I also lowered the front and rear by 1''. I know it is a matter of taste but I can't stand all that air over the front tyres and it holds the road so well. No Chaffing or rubbing at all.