MG Car Club of South Australia
TeChnical TopiC
by Bob Schapel
T
DON’T KNOCK WIRE WHEELS
here are a couple of common prob-
lems associated with wire wheels;
The KNOCK noise which comes with
worn splines, and the GREASE oozing
along the spokes from the hub. Instead
of spending big money on new hubs
and wheel centres, it is worth-while try-
ing a couple of easy “tricks”. They
worked very well on my Mk 2 Jaguar,
my wife’s MGA and my road TC.
To cure the knock under acceleration
and braking, remove the wheel and
clean the taper on hub and wheel centre
with turps and paint thinner. Leave the
splines and knock-off threads/tapers
well-greased. Once the taper surface is
THOROUGHLY clean and dry, apply
Loctite 680 ONLY to the taper surface
(marked “Loctite” in the photo) and its
mating surface on the wheel centre.
Refit the wheel and tighten the knock-off
TIGHTLY.
During tightening, rear
wheels should be turned backwards
against the splines, so that under accel-
eration there is positive (metal to metal)
drive and it is only “overrun” which relies
on the Loctite. Don’t be feint-hearted
while knocking spinners on tightly. I
know that some modern re-pro spin-
ners/knock-offs are so soft that they
distort with every blow from a copper
hammer. However, good old originals
will take the punishment in their stride!
Let the Loctite set for a few hours be-
fore driving the car. There is no prob-
lem with future wheel removal. A gentle
kick to the tyre is rarely necessary to
break it free, because Loctite is not a
glue but an “anti-shear” substance.
The common black, greasy ooze along
the spokes (as in the photo) can be
eliminated by sealing the inside of the
wheel centre. With the wheel off the
car, thoroughly clean inside the wheel
centre, where the spoke heads locate.
Once the area is CLEAN AND DRY,
apply silicon sealant (neutral cure) so
the spoke heads are sealed to the wheel
centre. Push the silicon in with a finger,
and put a thin smear over the whole
area. Allow the sealant to set, re-grease
the splines, and refit the wheel. The
sealant should prevent grease from
seeping out along the spokes.
(Updated from Bob’s articles in late
1970s and 1980s)
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