That awful colour MGB GT

[SiC]

How the hell did he manage that? Surely the BGT doesn't suffer tuck under like the shoddily/penny pinched design, early Triumph sports* car products? Especially a race prepped one.

He actually drove it spirited.

That explains the pictures of him in a pub on that video.

[SiC]

Any suggestions on how to remove the wheel? I tried the John Twist method and gave it many good lumps with the hammer but no budging. Also given a vigorous wiggle side to side - no movement either.


I'm thinking maybe putting a harmonic balancer puller across this and bolting it onto the threaded sections on the hub.

[LynehamHerc]

If you're a member of the MGOC they have a technical help line.

If you're not I can email them if you want.

[SiC]

I've generally shyed away from some of these single owner clubs! I always had noticed that the stands at autojumbles with the commercial suppliers, the MGB bits had the most people with many pushing you out of the way to get to the front. That put me off a bit joining the MG clubs.

Saying that if you do get a chance to email it would be useful, if they have any other ideas.

[panhard65]

You had removed the center nut when you were trying to get it off I take it ? A stupid question but you never know. I always put the nut back on a couple of turns then give the wheel a really good pull, wiggling it side to side. If that doesn't shift it the you will need a puller. Don't do what a friend of mine did with his cavalier many years ago. He decided he would change his steering wheel whilst he was sat in a car park about 5 miles from home and hit the center of the shaft to knock it through the wheel. This collapsed the shaft and made it impossible to get a wheel back on. I drove it back to mine with a pair of molegrips then welded a Rover P6 wheel on to get him out of trouble until he could get a new column.

[Hooli]

Leave the nut slightly loose, spray loads of penetrating fluid down the shaft & drive it a bit. It's worked for me in the past.

[SiC]

You had removed the center nut when you were trying to get it off I take it ? A stupid question but you never know. I always put the nut back on a couple of turns then give the wheel a really good pull, wiggling it side to side. If that doesn't shift it the you will need a puller. Don't do what a friend of mine did with his cavalier many years ago. He decided he would change his steering wheel whilst he was sat in a car park about 5 miles from home and hit the center of the shaft to knock it through the wheel. This collapsed the shaft and made it impossible to get a wheel back on. I drove it back to mine with a pair of molegrips then welded a Rover P6 wheel on to get him out of trouble until he could get a new column.

Haha yes I did remember the nut

I actually did it up when I left it, so I didn't forget that I did, if I went for a drive later...
I undid it with a wrench but probably should have done it with my impact. At least that probably would have shocked it a bit more loose.

I gave the nut a good ol' whack with the hammer (mallet in between) and my knees pushing hard up on the wheel. I'm a bit loathed to hit any harder incase I break the collapsible column (if it has one).

Meant to spray some penetration fluid down there but forgot last night. Will do tonight.

Any recommendations on pullers? Or will one of those cheapy Chinese harmonic pullers be sufficient? I'm also a bit wary of ripping the threads out of the boss and making it into a bit of a pickle.

[fried onions]

Just tap the wheel on the spokes upwards with a rubber mallet after loosening the large nut.

[LynehamHerc]

I've generally shyed away from some of these single owner clubs! I always had noticed that the stands at autojumbles with the commercial suppliers, the MGB bits had the most people with many pushing you out of the way to get to the front. That put me off a bit joining the MG clubs.

Saying that if you do get a chance to email it would be useful, if they have any other ideas.

I've sent an email with the bit of your post saying what you'd done included. I'll let you know of any response.

I'm only a member as there's some good technical articles at times and never go to the shows.
My wife reckons I'm an anti-social semi hermit and personally I'm happy with that as I get less exposure to dickheads.

[LynehamHerc]

Here's the reply, from Roger Parker who is a real MG 'guru':

"The wheel removal will involve increasing amounts of violence but the problem for any post 1971 MGB is that the column is a safety collapsible type and before the wheel comes off, the safety connection between the two parts of the upper column that slide into each other in the event of a heavy frontal impact shears and creates a more serious problem.

So if the wheel hasn’t released with the normal methods including the JT method, then you will have to create a puller that can focus the huge forces that these can generate to remove hubs and bearings between the centre point of the top of the column (original nut loosened but not removed), and the underside edges of the wheels boss. This will then break the seal on the splines from however many years of corrosion that has allowed it to reach this state.

There used to be a specific special tool for steering wheel removal, but whilst listed I have never seen on and so I have had to make use of a large bearing puller in the past. The problem can be that the degree of force required can often cause significant damage to the wheel before the spines release.

Rog"