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MG wheels and Spline count on hubs

Stormb10

Donation Time
I have heard of guys putting MG 14" wires on there Alpines with no problems. Can anybody confirm that the MG and Apline spline count is the same? Thanks Tom
 

agmason54

Donation Time
14 in MG wires

Tom
I can tell you I towed a wire wheel Alpine home once 'flat'and discovered one 14 inch MG wire wheel on on the car upon arrival so I say yes they swap perfectly at least it rolled for 2200 miles. I wish I had 3 or 4 more....
Agm
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Tom,

The spline count is the same but the hubs are not. You will come into problems on the front where the MGB wheels have a flatter centre part around the hub that IIRC the oputer edge comes in contact with the front brake caliper. I tried this on my alpine when i had wires back in 1997.. so is a while back since i did it.

IIRC the spridget wires will work without mod and provides a deeper offset..

if you want to run 14's the best thing would be to use an alpine or midget hub and spoke it to a 14" rim.

that said.. different series may be different results.. the brakes on the early cars are not the same as the later.. so the larger disc might move the caliper out a bit and away from the contact problem.. best thing to do is get one and check.. but the fronts are the critical ones.
 

agmason54

Donation Time
Tom
I recall my wheel was on the rear. I assume if it fit the rear it would fit the front hub. I would not swear it was MG but it was a 14 inch wheel for sure.
For shits and giggles I will try one out for you tomorrow and we'll see how the cow ate the cabbage
Al
 

bulldurham

Platinum Level Sponsor
After having done it, and I don't suggest anyone do it, I run a complete 72 MG rear in my Alpine, w/ 14" wires. It was a 3.90. You have to shorten the d/s and re-route the brake line a little. No rear gear noise either.
 

Chuck Ingram

Donation Time
As to the 14 inch MG wire wheel.

I have 4 good ones for cheap.I do mean cheap.So cheap not worth advertising.Just cannot see myself throwing them to the dumpster.However as we all know it is shipping thats going to cost.
 

agmason54

Donation Time
'MG' wheels

Beamers
I discovered today that someone before me has the front wire wheel hubs on an SV on the opposites sides. None the less I removed one front 13 inch wire wheel and put on my 14 inch wheel. I thought the hub looked close to the caliper but so did the stock wheel on the other side.
So there ya go....
Agm
 

johnd

Donation Time
MWS in England sells a bolt-on WW hub adapter that fits Alpines, Sprites and Midgets (I have a pair installed on my SII). As such, I have to assume that the spline count and hub size is the same for Midget (probably not a MGB though) as it is for the Alpine.
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Beamers
I discovered today that someone before me has the front wire wheel hubs on an SV on the opposites sides. None the less I removed one front 13 inch wire wheel and put on my 14 inch wheel. I thought the hub looked close to the caliper but so did the stock wheel on the other side.
So there ya go....
Agm

Al,

You tested it on a SV with the slightly larger discs.. and the caliper a little further out.. you got a SI/II you can test it on? surely you have one of each series sitting around :D
 

pcmenten

Donation Time
Two questions; First, why would a MGB rear axle need to be shortened to fit an Alpine? I was under the impression that it should swap in without issue. Same width.

Second, do we have a verdict about wire wheels? Will MGB wires fit a Alpine?
 

Stormb10

Donation Time
Wires

Wow-I have been away and not checked this post until now. Thanks for all the great responses. Very interseting. I love learning about all this stuff. There is sooo much to it. Thanks to all you guys I am able to keep my expensive mistakes to a minimum.
To make things even more confusing has anybody bought or tried a center lock with pins system(without the heavy center hub) like the fancy Porsches, Ferraris and race cars use?
 

alpine_64

Donation Time
Wow-I have been away and not checked this post until now. Thanks for all the great responses. Very interseting. I love learning about all this stuff. There is sooo much to it. Thanks to all you guys I am able to keep my expensive mistakes to a minimum.
To make things even more confusing has anybody bought or tried a center lock with pins system(without the heavy center hub) like the fancy Porsches, Ferraris and race cars use?

The pin srive wheels were used on D-type jags and twin cam MGA's with the Dunlop alloy wheels. I think the ferraris used pin drive perhaps on some of the campagnolo alloys, but think most were spline drive.

Never seen pin drive wires.. only alloys... maybe look into MGA specialist for those hubs.

On a side note.. if you want the drilled wheel look.. the alfa wheels of the GTV's and the camapgnolo alloy versions can be made to fit and are available as 14 and 15"
 

Jay Laifman

Donation Time
This has come up many times, and because of the safety factor I'll respond again. The hub on the Alpine is also shorter than the hub on the MGB. So, the knockoff does not grab enough threads. And, as mentioned, the angles of the surface of the Alpine hub does not match the inside of the angle of the MGB wheel. All reasons not to mess with it.

As also mentioned, the Midget/Spridget (but not Spitfire) wires are the same. Interestingly, I bought a new set of Midget/Spridget wires from North Hollywood WW about 20 years ago. He told me that they were from MGs after '67 when the Alpine ended production, and were built with stronger wires than what was available for the Alpines.

Jay
 
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