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MG MGB Technical - Rear Axle Width

I have Panasport 14x6 wheels with 185x14 tires and the tire rubs on the wheel opening lip on the driver's side rear of my '80 B. I have ground the lip as far as I feel is prudent. I have heard that one approach is to use a wire wheel axle and swap out the wire wheel hubs with steel wheel ones, resulting in a narrower axle. How much narrower is a wire wheel axle than a steel wheel axle? Also, the wire wheel axle I have is from an earlier car without a sway bar. Any simple way to add swaybar mounts?

Joe M
JM Mercer

Firstly it is normal for the clearance to be less on the left hand side (which I presume is your drivers side) than the right, they were (at the risk of annoying someone) made that way, not necessarily deliberately!

You would have to check the clearance between the inside of the tyre and the arch, or you may jump from the frying pan into the fire. A steel wheel axle is 48.5" and a wire wheel 47", so you would gain 3/4" on the outside of each tyre but lose that amount from the inside. From what I've seen the brackets are relatively simple and welded to the tube. You may even be able to cut them off your axle.
Paul Hunt

Thanks. I think I have enough clearance on the inside, but it will be close. May have to add a thin spacer, but I hope not.
Joe M

Hi Paul, 48.5 (or 47") inches from where to where?
I have just received a MGC axle. I assume it is wire wheel one but need to confirm.
Regards
tony
Tony Bates

Tony - going by my old steel wheel axle it is between the faces on the bearing caps that the back-plate bolts up to. The outer ring with the four holes in, not the part a bit closer to the middle that sticks out a bit more.
Paul Hunt

Thanks
Tony Bates

I just measured my axle from bearing cap face to face and it's 47 3/8" so I assume it's a wire wheel one.
Regards
Tony
Tony Bates

Was that the machined face with the holes around the edge or to the outer face of the oil seal retainer? 3/8" is quite a bit oversize. Having said that my steel wheel axle was about 1/8" undersize. Given the technology and welding the bearing retainers to the ends of tubes maybe that kind of variation is normal!
Paul Hunt

From face to face, not oil seal to oil seal.
As I am fitting steel wheels, I'll need spacer anyway, so it's no big deal but it's interesting they can get it wrong by such a large amount :-)
Tony
Tony Bates

Indeed. Not as much as the 3/4" or more difference in spacing from tyre to arch between sides :o)
Paul Hunt

This thread was discussed between 25/02/2009 and 01/03/2009

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