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MG TD TF 1500 - Spare Wire Wheel Knockoff

Hello - New to the list and can't find this topic covered in the Archives.
Having coverted my TD to wire wheels I'm dealing with the spare wheel mount. I have a TF spare "knockoff" that I picked up. Trying to do my own design for spare mount on the TD. Does anyone know the size and thread specs of the knockoff? I understand it may be metric. Looking to buy a big nut that I can screw it into in my design (there's welding involved).
W H Francis

Moss sells the proper threaded weld in lug if you want to go that route. It's not listed in the catalog but they do sell it. I do not know the thread size. I;d be very surprised if it's something you could buy from any ordinary supply source.
L E D LaVerne

Moss sells the whole spare adapter which is very pricy (and has its critics) and is not in the catalog. The person I talked to had no knowledge of just the nut to thread into. If I can get the specs I'll plan to order online. I know of one fellow who took the knockoff to a fastener company who fitted it with a nut, but he doesn't know what specs they used.
W H Francis

I'd have to get the part number out of my old receits but it is a lug that gets welded into the opening on a TF rack. Wouldn't be an easy deal on the larger opening of a TD rack. A cheaper option compared to trying to find a giagantic nut with the correct threads and then fabricating up a mount to the tire rack would probably be to use what most people use. An old wheel hub and knock off. The hub could be one that somebody was going to pitch because the splines were wore outand you could probably get it for the cost of shipping. Thats ok for a spare. A used knock off or a spanking brand new one isn't terribly expensive.

Thats what we used on the TF that I have been working on recently that had a wire wheel conversion. The correct weld in lug and the correct knock off and badge would have cost about 500 bucks so the owner decided to just use what he had. I had to weld it into position here after I cut the flange off in order to make it work. On a TD you should be able to just bolt it to the rack without issue unless you have a luggage rack

L E D LaVerne

This is what my TD uses.
Works a treat.
Rod



R D Jones - Ex Pat

R.D.Jones - That's a nice setup. Obviously, that's not a splined hub. Is that mount internally threaded and you screw the TF "knockoff" down into it? If so, how did you determine/acquire the internally threaded fitting? And you obviously shortened the pedestal which I expect would be required to get the wheel low enough.
W H Francis

L E D - Don't want to put you to a lot of effort, but would appreciate you digging out that part number. I'd really like to do the weld-in lug with a few design features of my own. Just for fun.
W H Francis

Rod's adatpter looks like a TC fitting. It may have the same internal thread as the TF fitting.



I'll have a look for it W H...
L E D LaVerne

Here is the number..234-157 you will have to call as it doesn't show on the web site or the catalog. It aint cheap.
L E D LaVerne

W.H. I think LeVerne has it right.
Possibly part of a TC mounted to a plate, welded to the frame. This all came with my car when I bought it in Bits back in 1970
You don't need a splined hub - as the finger you can see at the bottom is designed to stop the wheel from turning.
The Knock-on I think is the STD TC one. But my bet is the threads for the mount Boss may be the same for the TC & TF. But the parts are priced differently??
I have a thread gauge and will go take a look.
Your best bet to get a clean and tidy install is try to find a TC wheel carrier and mod it. Maybe someone here has one spare?

For the TF at Moss
22 200-268 $189.99 KNOCK-OFF, spare wheel (includes medallion)

For TC at Moss
16 200-258 $229.99 KNOCK-OFF ASS’Y., spare wheel (includes medallion.



This is my spare wheel knock Off.
It has a spring and a tang to keep the badge vertical as you screw it on. I don't see that in the catalog for the TF only for the TC
L.E.D. can you confirm?

R D Jones - Ex Pat

Thats why the TC deal is more money. The TF doesn't have the key or the key way in the spare mounting. After you get the knock off on the spare on the TF you just turn the medallion to your liking. If using the correct parts, it's spring loaded so it will stay in place.

Here is a TC spare rack

L E D LaVerne

Rod - So apparently you have the TC mount. The knockoff I got was labeled TF. Since I didn't know what I was doing I tried to buy pieces to rebuild it and bought the spring. It's too big to fit into my knockoff, so guess I really do have the TF and the TC part doesn't fit. If it becomes important to insert the spring I suppose it could be machined out.

L E D - I will call Moss first thing in the morning. If I can really get that lug I'll start figuring out how to get it mounted...will follow a design that someone else did.
Wayne
W H Francis

Good luck Wayne,
I would strongly suggest keeping it simple. That way it's always better :)
If you do find a TC rear mount hub. You will have to fit it further away from the tank as the TD wheels are wider than a TC. You can see the spacer tube welded on my plate to move the wheel away from the carrier rack.
With the Knock-on on really tight (so it doesn't just disappear) the tire should not rub on the relief in the rear valance. If you get it just right.
Hope you work it out OK.
Rod
R D Jones - Ex Pat

You better sit down before they give you the price Wayne.
L E D LaVerne

Yes, but that sounds like that may be for the whole spare wheel adapter (whatever that is). I was shocked when I heard the price for that. Was kind of hoping that a simple nut or lug would not be a big deal. Will call tomorrow morning and find out just what it entails. That failing I will try to find a "fastener" place and see if they can match up the threads. Why is this such a challenge??
W H Francis

It was 200 bucks 11 years ago. I'd be surprised if the thread form matches anything you could even order from a fastener house.
L E D LaVerne

Heard something on Fast n' Loud last night, "the parts are not expensive, you just need lots of them".
P G Gilvarry

Wayne
It looks to me as though the thread size of the TC spare wheel Knock-On is 8G Whitworth
Which according to the chart is 1"
The 8G gauge fits the threads perfectly.
If that helps.
Rod.

R D Jones - Ex Pat

This has been a bit of an adventure! I called Moss this morning to check on whatever they had for the spare adapter and, sure enough, it was more than a nut...think it bolts onto the pedestal, has a splined hub (I think), and a standard knockoff. Forget he price exactly, but up around $250. The tech guy there went into the files and found a hand notation that the TF knockoff is 1 1/2" diameter with 12 threads per inch (fine thread). I went down to an industrial bolt/nut place today and bought a standard hex 1 1/2" fine-thread nut. Fits perfectly. That nut will fit into a 2" pipe coupling (with the edges ground off). Gives me enough to work with to build a custom spare adapter. Something to do. Thanks for all the help, guys.
W H Francis

What he gave you is not the part number I provided. The correct piece is a weld in lug. What he gave you is their kit conversion piece which is nothing more that a wire wheel hub and a knock off. Just for info purposes.
L E D LaVerne

My biggest concern with all the retro's is how much above the rack the spare tire sits. I would still love to see the original adapter to gauge the spacing the factory had.

I have two spare tire racks. One for slotted and one for wires. The wire one is just a regular hub welded onto the cut down rack.


Christopher Couper

Here is the original steel wheel rack for the TF. I removed the flange with the 3 studs and welded in the lug which keeps the tire at the same height as a steel wheel. I thought I had a picture of the rack after I welded in the lug but I can't find it.

L E D LaVerne

Where the tire sits on my TF

L E D LaVerne

Although just tacked here on Bill's car, this would be the final position I welded it place. I originally bolted the full hub in place, but it extended it much to far to the rear. So I cut the hub down as shown and first tried the center position and again about midway but both of those caused interference with the license plate holder.


L E D LaVerne

The finished position on Bill's car.

L E D LaVerne

This image shows a comparison of my car with John B's which has a hub bolted in place. It required that John come up with an alternative mount for the license plate because it pushes it farther from the tank. That shouldn't be an issue with the TD

L E D LaVerne

Hmm, becomes a bit more obvious why the factory didn't want to put wire wheels on the TD. Bud
Bud Krueger

But done right it looks good I think.



Christopher Couper

I'm pretty OK with my plan. It'll take a while to get there, but I expect the W/W to sit right on the TD pedestal and it should be at the same height as the steel wheel. I'll just center the big nut in the pedestal and get it welded into place. I expect the "knockoff" to thread through and hold the wheel tight against the pedestal. Shouldn't be an interference problem with either the license mount or the rear valence. I bought a new medallion to bolt through the hole of the knockoff. I'd really like to come up with a design to prevent theft. Have some semi-ideas. This has been an interesting and informative discussion, and the photos are very helpful.
W H Francis

This thread was discussed between 04/09/2016 and 10/09/2016

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