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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Tubeless Wheels

I was looking at my TF Service Parts List - AKD804 and stumbled across "Wheel (ventilated disc)--tubless tyres--4.00X15" part #ACG8001. Tube type TF wheels are "Wheel (ventilated disk)--4.00X15" part #500060. Tubeless wire wheels are not listed.

> How can the tubeless disc wheels be identified?

Anyone have these #ACG8001 tubeless disc wheels on your TF?

FYI, the wheels in the TD Service Parts List AKD834 are "Wheel (ventilated disc) (4.00X15) part #130148, and Wheel (drilled disc) (4.00X15) part #500060. The TD "drilled disc" wheel part number is the same as the TF "ventilated disc" tube type wheel part number.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

I have a regular 1954 TF, and three years ago I finally switched all my tires to run tubless.
I had had too many piercings on the side wall from rubbing a piece of grit? until it lost air pressure.
No flats since at about 9000 miles usage.
Cheers, Byron.
JB Warwick

Do you know which disc wheels you have?

> Wheel (ventilated disk)--4.00X15" part #500060

or

> Wheel (ventilated disc)--tubless tyres--4.00X15" part #ACG8001

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

I believe that tubeless rims have safety rings to hold the tyre on the rim if it goes flat
If you have ever seen the shape a tyre goes at speed you wouldn't think of running tubeless on a non tubeless(safety) rim
William Revit

I did some more searching for info about early tubeless wheels ...

In my opinion, MG wheels for tubeless tires were installed on some late model TFs. Probably along with tubeless tires.

BF Goodrich received a U.S. patent for tubeless tires in 1952. By 1955 tubeless tires became standard equipment on new cars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubeless_tire

Longstone Tyres says that the first wheels for tubeless tires didn't have safety ribs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWJ-tWP3iU0

>> Do any of you have original MGTF tubeless disc wheels? They may not look like modern tubeless wheels.

The TF Illustrated List of Service Parts that was printed in May 1954 (no TF-1500 parts) does not show disc wheels for tubeless tires. It only shows the tube-type wheel.

The TF Service Parts list AKD804 (includes TF-1500 parts) shows both wheels. The tubeless wheel isn't listed as optional equipment, so it must have been regular production. The Service Parts List often shows the chassis number when the part was updated. There is no notification for the change to tubeless wheels.

The TF & TF-1500 Operation ManualAKD658A second edition and the TD/TF Workshop Manual with some pages revised as late as June 1955 don't mention tubeless tires or wheels. Possibly because they were used very late into the model run.

Fun useless fact finding!

Lonnie
TF7211




LM Cook

Lonnie
Some more- Fun useless fact finding!
I have a 1970 Lotus Elan which I've had from almost new
The first speed event that I ran it in, I got knocked back at scrutineering because I didn't have tubes in the tyres
I argued the case that it had tubeless tyres and that's how it came new--------No was the answer, it hasn't got safety rims
You have to have safety rims or tubes-he said
They would be safety rims says me--No says he
Apparently it wasn't Law to have safety rims on a passenger car in Australia till 1985 --till then it was optional and a lot of English imported cars didn't have them till then
I guess the designated tubeless rim for an MGTD is a safety rim but who knows -not me
I know early XJ6 Jags didn't have safety rims either as there was a guy in the same boat as me having to go find tubes to get a start


Found this but it doesn't help much---
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/wheels/wl106.htm

Cheers
willy
William Revit

Thanks Willy,

"Fun useless fact finding" is a mental illness.

Barney's article on his MGA Guru site plus your experience and the information that I cited earlier add credence to my hypothesis that tubeless tires and some type of tubeless wheels were available for late model TFs as standard equipment. Probably less than 40% of TFs had disc wheels -- not enough to note it in the manuals.

My British Motor Industry Heritage Certificate says that my TF-1500 was built 23-27 September 1954. Fitted with disc wheels. Does not mention tubeless wheels.

Does any BBS member with a late model TF fitted with disk wheels have a Heritage Certificate that states tubeless wheels?

Thanks for taking time to indulge our mutual mental illness.

Lonnie
TF7211
LM Cook

This thread was discussed between 15/07/2019 and 18/07/2019

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