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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - TR6 wheels

Is anyone using TR6 wheels on their B? I have the narrower wire-wheel rearend, with steel-wheel hubs. The archives say you have to drill out the mounting holes a sixteenth, and I've also read somewhere that the offset's wrong. That wouldn't be an insurmountable problem, as there's an outfit near here that can change that, for a price. Looks like I need a real slight positive offset up front, and the rear is still to be determined. I hope to use 195/65-15 tires, but may go with 185s if necessary. I can pick up a set of these wheels fairly reasonably, so I was wondering if anyone actually has them fitted. Thanks, Joe
Joe Ullman

Joe, I am curious as to the benefit to be had here. It seems to me like a lot of work to end up where you started if you see what I am saying.

Cheers , Pete.
Peter Thomas

One of my friends used to run tr-6 wheels on his mga, but I don't know about any of the fitment details. He used them as a cheap 15 inch wheel alternative. Used it like that for quite a few years and drove it thousands of miles without any problems.

Ryan
Ryan Reis

Joe,

My 79 B has a narrow MGC wire wheel rear axle with MGB bolt on hubs. I am running 14x6 1/2 in. Shelby wheels with 205/60-14 tires. The wheels have a standard rear wheel drive offset (probably the same as the TR6 wheels). I did not have to drill anything out, and the only problem I had was that I needed a 1/4 inch spacer so the tires would not hit the protrusion for the bump-stop on the inner fenders. As wide as these tires are, they fit fine with regard to the outer fender lip. All of my body work is stock.

Handling is much improved, although steering effort for a 60 something like me, with a 14 in. steering wheel, is a bit high. Hope this helps.

Allan
Allan

Thanks guys.
Peter, I had half-to-fully knackered splines on the previous wire hubs. Although I love the look of wirewheels, I thought this'd be a good reason to go with the look of 15" wheels and have less trouble with bolt-on wheels, plus be able to go a little wider.
Ryan, yes affordable as well as available. The minilites are everywhere, but I'd like something a little different.
Alan, I'm envious of your ability to get those 205s in there w/o rubbing. By my measuring, with 195s, I have about 1-3/8" to 1-1/2" to play with, total, to split between inner and outer clearance in left and right wheelwells, respectively. I foresee a Panhard rod in my future, although I don't relish the idea of that job. Fixing it securely to the trunk floor, etc. And, of course, the right tire hits the exhaust just before full lock.
I've corresponded with one fellow who uses the TR6 wheels, though, and got them from Panasport, where they drilled the holes oversize for him. It appears there won't be a problem mounting them in there, although the offset will have to be dealt with somehow. Either by ordering it specifically, or getting it changed$$.

Joe

Joe Ullman

I located a picture of Bob's mga with the tr-6 wheels on it:

http://shawsgarage.mlcltd.com/modifications.html

He now has Weld rodlite wheels on it that I believe he got from Speedway Motors.

Ryan
Ryan Reis

Ryan,
Yes, that's what I'm talkin' about! Thanks for the picture. Joe
Joe Ullman

Joe: I'm using early eighty's Saab 900 wheels on my ZA Magnette. They have an appearance similar to the TR6 wheel, but have a different offset. I'm running 205x65-15 tires on my Magnette with no problems.
John Perkins

TR6 wheels pcd wise should bolt straight on!

Dave...
Dave Lowe

I'm using 'mini-light' style alloys on my '72 B, which I've since found out are indeed TR 6 alloys. Only problem I have had was a bit of of an issue with clearence with the rear arches - easily rectified. I've been running with these wheels since 1997, and they fill the arches nicely !

Colin M.....
C E Muir

Well, thanks for all the input. I'm going out tomorrow to take another look at the wheels; I think I'm going to get them if everything looks good. I'll have them machined to fit, powder coated, and get some centers, and I'll have something kinda different I think. Best, Joe
Joe Ullman

Joe, yep see where you're comiong from. Good luck with the conversion.

Ryan: Thanks for the pic. The TR6 wheels do look the part.

Cheers , Pete

Peter Thomas

As an update, I picked up the wheels, bought from a reputable local British car dealer. I had thought that they were new, but only one had never been mounted, the other three all seem to be in near perfect shape, and are 5.5" rims. I've only quickly put them up on the hubs front and back, the bolt holes are the right size, tapered seats, the edge of the rims are well inside the inner edge of the front wing. I measured a 10mm positive offset on the rims, and at the rear, the edge of the rims are still well inside the fenders and well away from the bumpstops bulges. Some tries at better rearend centering are in order; I think I may get 1/8", hardly worth a lot of effort for that. I'll have to do some more measuring and decide on 185 or 195 tires. My difference in wheel well clearance side to side is 1/4 to 1/2", depending on how you measure it.
So, with disk hubs on a wirewheel rear axle, the TR6 wheels, at least these ones, seem to fit okay. I have my fender lip turned up at 45 degrees, but with it more rolled, it'd probably be perfect. The front seems fine just as it is. So, they may be an option for some. Best, Joe
Joe Ullman

This thread was discussed between 25/04/2005 and 29/04/2005

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