Wire wheel conversion foul up

Following advice not to mess about with the conversion hubs I decided to get wire wheel back axle for my '77 tubular. I already have the wheels hubs and bearings. The problem is that the axles are too long.

First thought was that I could just get the half shafts, but a bit of googling suggested that no, its all different.

Seeing a wire wheel back axle on E-Bay from a '67 advertised as being all you need to do a WW conversion on any model MGB I bid on it.

Then looking through the Moss catalog I realize that even though they started doing the tubular axle a while before '67, they used both on the roadsters for several years. And I had just won a banjo WW axle for $90 plus shipping.

So questions,

1) Is there any way of using the parts from this axle together with my tubular to fit my wire wheels to a 77 roadster?

2) If not, is there anyone out there would like a WW banjo axle for $190 inc delivery?

3) If not, any idea how I can fit my WWs to my '77 roadster?

1.. No

2.. I do not need a ww banjo rear

3.. The best way is to use a tube type ww rear. I gave one away about two years ago to someone on the forum.

Ugh... guess I have been thinking too much about building my dalek.

Phil, what is your location and is the WW banjo complete with 3rd member? Is that price negotiable?

If you are switching to wires wheels, you need the wire wheel rear end. As memory serves me right, the axle lengths are different, therefore the rear end lengths are going to be different.

Like Lee said you have to change the intire rear end assy. As well as the hand brake cable, and brake lines.

Isit realy that hard to fit a banjo axle to a later car? That's not rhetorical, I don't know.

I have a WW tube axle taking up space here, but I'm a long way from Oregon.

Dave, It is in Jefferson City, MO. Not sure if he will take less. He might be under the impression that I am obliged to buy the part I bought on his representation it would fit any MGB.

I am in the Boston MA area, slightly closer to Texas maybe. So I might be interested in the tube axle, unless there is a closer one. I can't start on the MGB until there is no snow on the ground outside and the Dalek is done.

PHB Wrote:

Phil, check out Burnetts garage in Wenham. (978) 468-4011
When I lived in Lynn, he was my go to guy for used parts & repairs.

Why are you concerned abut this being a banjo? The assemblies are pretty much interchangeable....

If an axle assembly had the correct drive, I'd have no problem changing tube for banjo

Back out of the ebay deal.. His statment was not correct as to fiting any MGB..

Looks to me like it does NOT have the 3rd member or drums. A complete one would be a bolt in but what you bought is a mistake for you. Pay the man $20 to contact the other bidder/relist it and be done with it. It was and wasn't misrepresented... a complete one would do what he said, but he was selling an incomplete one and that would not do what he said without more parts and knowledge.
Technically, his is only right for a 67 and older roadster, and maybe the earliest GT's but I don't think so.
I realize that even some knowledgable B people are not fully versed on some of the wire wheel/steel wheel differences and this is a learning op for all.
I hope you don't learn that you don't really like wire wheels after all.

Technically, that axle will bolt onto the springs of any MGB (or MGA for that matter--it even fits T-types with just a little bit of work), but it will take some parts changes like brake lines and e-brake cables as mentioned above. In your case, it won't have the sway bar mounts welded to it, either.

I'd guess the reason Dave is interested is because racers love banjos. They weigh about 30 lbs less than tube-type axles, and since the 3rd member drops out so easily, they can change ratios much more easily. If that price includes the 3rd member, it's a deal.

In addition to racers loving that axle, MGA guys like the 3rd members because they can take their 4.3 or 4.1 ratios (and high revs on the highway) down to the MGB 3.9 by bolting in the 3rd member. Then the T-Type guys (4.875 or 5.125 ratio) buy the 4.3 or 4.1 ring and pinion from the MGA guys and the circle of life is complete.

I'd suggest getting Dave hooked up with that axle and finding a closer match for your car. The best choice would be out of a 1977-80. Earlier tube-type axles have different e-brake cables, brake lines, and no sway bar mounts.

--Carl

Carl makes a great point about the sway bar mount situation. I just looked again at that auction and wondered why your bid was 89.99 when the other/only bid was 39.99. Was it a reserve auction?
Also noticed that they haven't sold much on ebay but that all feedback said every item was "as described" or "as advertised".... This item wasn't.
I'm not convinced that this seller was trying to pull one over, but it was not factual.
Have you tried one of your wire wheel/hub/wheel/tires on your current rear end? Most likely the tire will rub on one side or the other (one side usually runs closer than the other, check which one first and do that side) and if your combo doesn't rub, you are all set. If it rubs, then you can keep up the search for a rear end.
Good fun no matter what.

Oh I don't think it was a case of malice here, he thought it would work, when I started to look through to find out how to fit it I discovered the issue. If it hadn't been advertised as work on any MG I would have checked first.

And yes it was a reserve auction, otherwise I would not have bid until the last second or so. The underbid must have been $88.99.

Phil, my interest is in using it as a donor for building race axles as If someone has bolt wheel axles I can widen it or make it a hybrid with tude axles etc. It would need to have a usable 3rd member to make it worthwhile. Is the price $90 or $190?

fast-MG.com Wrote:

Price is $90 plus shipping which to me is $100.

The best way to convert to WW on a 77 would be 1. get a ww tube axle. 2. there are adapter available, but you have to watch tire size for clearance on rear wheel wells.