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MG MGA - My bad day...

Text taken from my web site. This is how I spent my day...

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"A Wheely Bad Day"

Our MGA started life with disc wheels but we decided to convert it to wires instead. After locating a donor chassis the conversion was completed but we didn't realize how worn the splines on one of the wheels was. One day I was driving the MGA home along the coast and had to hit the brakes harder than normal. The most horrific sound ever resonated through the car and I knew right away what the problem was. I had spun a wheel. I managed to get the car home and parked in the garage.

Not long after I had collected new hubs and wheels for the car and made an appointment at a local garage to get it all installed. I checked the wheel before leaving and all was tight so we proceded to the shop, me in the MGA and Linda following in another car. Slowing at an intersection, a car pulled in front of me and I had to hit the brakes harder than planned. The wheel, not unexpectedly, spun again and not only did it make the terrifying sound again but I locked the rear wheels with teh hand brake. A pedestrian crossing the street nearly jumped out of her skin at the howling, grinding, tire screeching car bearing down on her! I thought of checking the knockoff at this point but would have to find a place to pull over. The light changed to green and I accelerated. As soon as I crossed the intersection the unthinkable happened...

...the wheel flew off the car!

Now grinding down the street and watching the wheel go on without me I was suprised at what was going through my head. Not panic or worry but "Wow, this is an unusual experience. Guess it really does happen! I bet Linda is freaking out behind me. Wait, I hope I'm not sliding on the front fender. Wow, look at that wheel go. It's going to get to the shop before me! Gee, I really hope I'm not sliding on the front fender. That would be expensive to fix. Ya know, the car still handles pretty well with only three wheels. I'm just gonna pull it over. I hope I'm not sliding on the valence too. Maybe someone can sit on the opposite corner of the car and I'll just keep driving."

I got the car to the side of the road after what seemed like an eternity but in reality was only a few seconds and 50 feet of road. Linda passed me in her car, following the wheel rolling down the 4-lane road. I watched with a combination of awe, horror and amusement as it bounced and rolled merrily along, missing all traffic, then missing all the parked cars as it went over a curb and continued on. The wheel eventually ran into an apartment building and came to a stop. I got out of the car and was extremely relieved, and somewhat suprised, to find no damage whatsoever to the car except that the brake drum was scratched up along the outside edge where it had pretended to be a wheel.

Next thing I saw was my wonderful wife running top speed across four lanes of traffic with a wire wheel in her hands. Last task would be to find the knockoff which I figured was back by the intersection. Walking that way, a homeless man pointed and said "the wheel went that way and the other piece went that way". I followed his directions and saw my nice shiney knockoff sitting in the stree. "It's still good!", I thought. Traffic passed it by, narrowly missing and I once again thought "It's still good!" Then a van ran over it with both wheels and it tumbled down the road. Rats! By the time I got it the chrome was gouged. Time for a new one. The old will remain a reminder of the lessons learned today.

I figured the spare wheel in the trunk had plenty of spline left and should hold for the short remainder of the trip to the shop. I installed the wheel and hammered it on. Nearly tight, I nicked the lip of the wheel well with the edge of the hammer, just hard enough to leave a small chip. *sigh*

Spare wheel on the car, I started it up and pulled away from the curb. The car lost all spark and died. (Later found out the condenser quit, possibly from the shock?) So there I was after all that, wheel on the car and ready to go, with no spark and no proper tool kit. In fifteen minutes I had gone from idiot to moron. The tow truck arrived in just under an hour.

15 Lessons learned, in order of occurance:

1) Whatever it is, yes it can happen.
2) When you spin a wheel, stop driving the car.
3) Theoretically, a MGA can be driven with three wheels.
4) A wheel has a mind of its own. Trust it to find it's own way.
5) If you think it's still good, think again.
6) If you see a woman running through traffic with a wire wheel, marry her.
7) A jack will not fit under the car when the wheel already is off. Carry a smaller one.
8) Always carry tools.
9) When something breaks, plan to fix the car twice.
10) Homeless people can be useful in a crisis.
11) Your car is smarter than you. If you try to drive it again after losing a wheel, it will stop running.
12) When you walk to the auto parts store to buy a multi-meter, make sure batteries are included.
13) When you walk to the liquor store to buy batteries for a multi-meter, make sure you have a tiny plillips screwdriver to take the cover off with.
14) When you walk to Rite-Aid to buy a tiny phillips screwdriver, make sure the tow truck isn't going to show up right when you get back.
15) Auto Club. It's not just a club, it's a lifestyle!
Steve Simmons

Hi Steve. Regarding your bad day: Yup, that WAS a bad day! BUT, considering the many possibiities that COULD HAVE HAPPENED, as a result of losing a wheel at speed, I would say that in the scheme of things, you were EXTREMELY LUCKY that no one was injured, and that no property was damaged. Sounds like some important lessons were learned, so that is a real bonus. Now for MY wire wheel horror story: Years ago, I had an Austin Healey 3000. I was about 19 years old, and needed to do a rear brake job. So I pulled both rear wire wheels, unbolted both wire wheel hubs from the drums, and tossed them together in the grass. I then pulled both drums, and put the 4 new brake shoes on. I popped both rear drums on, grabbed the hubs, and bolted them back onto the drums. Wire wheels went back on, then both knock offs. Job done. So off I go for a spin to check the brakes. the brakes worked well, so I decided to go for a cruise, down the street at about 30 MPH. All of a sudden, I hear a distinct metallic clunk. Looking over my shoulder, I see the Driver side knock off rolling/bumping down the street! I gingerly hit the brakes, and came to a stop. I Retrieved the knock off, and after jacking up the car, and tapping the half off wire wheel back into position, hammered the knockoff back in place. At that moment, I realized that I had made a terrible mistake when reassembling my rear hubs! I had neglected to check which hub was going back on which side of the car. In failing to do this, I got the wrong hubs on the wrong sides of the car. Since one hub was Left Hand thread and the other right hand thread, they needed to be correctly positioned. Since I goofed, and positioned both of them on the wrong sides of the car, the rotation of the wheels automatically LOOSENED the knock offs! In retrospect, I am glad I was driving at relatively slow speed, and that the wheel remained (partially) on the hub! Again, this situation could have been way worse, and I was also EXTREMELY lucky!
Moral of our stories? Don't fool around with safety related parts on you British Sports Cars! Simple mistakes could be fatal. Cheers! Glenn
Glenn

Steve, Similar occurance when I first got my A on the road. I knew no one else with one and did not know how tight the knock-offs should be. You got-it. I was do'in about 65 in the #3 lane of the Long Beach, now '710', Freeway. It was surreal to see my right wheel merily rolling along next to me in the # 2 lane. It sucessfuly negociated its way thru traffic dissapearing behind a barrier into a field. Brought to mind that 'ol country favorite, "You picked a fine time to leave me loose-wheel...." Several retun trips, I NEVER found that wheel. Like you Steve, no real damage, just at real flat-spot on the "bottom" of the brake drum. The A did very well on 3-wheels, even at freeway speeds! Regards, Steve
Steve Meline

Glenn, did you drive home in reverse? LOL!

Steve, That's the second time I've heard reference to that song this week. Who sings that?
Steve Simmons

Glad to see all worked out without injury.

I had completed the bodywork and paint prep to a friends TR4. It was only ~7 miles to the paint shop and I only made just under one mile of the journey. I had just made a right turn onto Atlantic (busy intersection, busy street) heading south and the front right wheel went (who forgot to tighten the lugnuts...arrrgh!) with that end crashing down on the rotor and the car heading right towards the curb. OK...so now I realize I'm not only heading toward the curb...I'm hurtling toward a group of people at the bus stop at the curb with a building's wall behind them. Whose look of horror was worse...theirs or mine? Anyway...I was able to semi-steer away from the curb and noticed a driveway just a little further (75 feet?) down the street. I made the fairly sharp turn with a bang of the rotor as I drove up into a lot at a sharp angle. The wheel had run another 50 feet or so further and luckily stayed in a path along the curb where it came to a rest. I couldn't save that rotor...bummer!
Jon Bachelor

"You Picked a Fine Time to Leave Me Lucille" (loose wheel). Believe it was by Roy Clark.
R. L Carleen

Kenny Rogers.
Chuck Schaefer

This happened to me on two occasions when I was a lot younger with my first MGA in Australia. I lost one wheel on a track day and another on a surburban street. On the track the wheel went a long way but there was not much to hit. The street incident saw the wheel bounce over a fence into a garden over another fence and across another road then through another garden. It amazingly didn't hit anything. They do go an awful long way when they are let loose but they obviously have there own built in guidance system
Gordon Derham

Steve,

Good story - very good description!

What I recently observed in my neighborhood:

Evening rush hour traffic and a car comes down the four lane street traveling 30-35 mph - with no tire on one rim (front drivers side) throwing sparks and a loud grinding sound as the rim is in rolling contact with the street. My thoughts are "I hope he makes it home."

Next morning (morning rush hour traffic) same location, I first hear the sound and here comes the same car at the same speed, now going the other direction and still running on the rim. -M.S



Martin Straka

HAHAHAHHAHA! That's pretty darn funny, Martin!

While I was in the shop yesterday one of the guys mentioned that he always wonders why there isn't a safety wire from the knockoff to the spokes to prevent the knockoff from spinning loose. Very good question. I was thinking, a small hole could be drilled and tapped from the rear of one ear, then attach a thin piece of wire rope to a spoke. THe whole thing would only be 3 inches long and nearly invisible from view. Any thoughts?
Steve Simmons

Properly installed, they won't come loose, unless you decide to do some really long distance reverse driving. Safety wire could be attached to a hole drilled in an ear (tapped? why?) but I would be hesitant to attach it to a spoke. But then, you'd have to carry wire cutters, safety wire and a pair of safety wire pliers in your tool kit. The hole would also weaken the ear--probably collapse under repeated hammerings.
R. L Carleen

Tapped so that the hole would not have to go all the way through. The wire wouldn't have to be permenantly attached. A very small clip could secure it to a spoke since there would be no real load on the wire.
Steve Simmons

Steve,
My condolences on your experience, but I'm glad nothing worse happened. Safety wire sounds like a good idea, but RL is correct about the ear being weakened, but why not drill down near the base of the hub, that way it wouldn't hurt anything, and the wire might hide even better? Drill a small hole on the hub of the wheel, too, and it would probably look alright.
BTW, don't assume that homeless looking people are homeless just because they look that way. I know a guy who looks homeless, I actually tell people that he is practicing for being homeless. People stop all the time and give him money. I asked him why he doesn't tell them that he's not, and his response is that he never asked for the money. Why tell them?
mike parker

Heh! Yeah I didn't know for sure he was homeless but for the sake of shortening the story I just assumed. :)

A small hole in the ear, say #10 halfway through one ear, should not weaken the knockoff at all, and unless you're using a sledgehammer I doubt you could break an ear off. Drilling a hole in the hub would worry me much more and also brings up the problem of how to attach the wire in an easily-removable way, i.e. without tools. I may drill an old knockoff and rig something jsut to see how invisible it could be.

Honestly I'm suprised this never became a common competition mod. It could be the end of losing centerlock wheels.
Steve Simmons

Steve, I mean a small hole on the hub of the wheel between spoke attachments. It looks like there should be no problem there, say halfway between the spoke holes, there should be plenty of meat there.
mike parker

Seems more logical to me to have the wire permenantly attached to the knockoff rather than the wheel. I suppose it would work either way.
Steve Simmons

I was thinking of lockwire.
mike parker

Doesn't lockwire require special pliers to install and remove? Sounds like it would work very well but may not be entirely handy. I was thinking of a very short piece of wire rope, perhaps 1/8" or under. One side attached to the back of a knockoff ear and the other side cliped onto the nearest spoke end at the hub. It would really only be to keep the knockoff from turning. No real strength required.
Steve Simmons

The point is: properly installed and maintained--these knockoffs actually tighten as the wheel rotates. Safety wire is redundant, increases complexity, and makes tire changing more time consuming (and on a dark and rainy night--who wants that?). Unless you'e planning to enter a demolition derby, where reverse is the preferred direction of travel, I wouldn't wsste my time with the idea.
Lockwire does not require special pliers--we learned how to do it manually in the navy using needlenose pliers, as many times there is no room for the fancy wire twisting pliers...sometimes, I even had to do it blind--by feel alone inside airplanes.
R. L Carleen

Never had a wheel come off a car like that but,...

Borrowed a huge 3-axle trailer to move a small cottage when we lived out at the beach. Got it all hooked up to the 'ol F-100 and took off. I got going down the main drag and suddenly saw a trailer that looked just like the one I was towing pass me, veering into the oncoming lane. "Where the heck did that thing come from?....Holy crap!...."

I was extraordinarily lucky that day. The trailer ball was too small; when the trailer decided to go it's own way it ducked in between the oncoming cars and ran into a chain link fence. Pucker factor of about 1000.
Wray

Wray,
Don't need your excitement, or Steve's either for that matter.
mike parker

End result of my bad day:

Brand new Dayton 15x4.5" 48-spoke (HD) maintenance-free wheels and brand new hubs (one NOS OEM) are now installed on the car. Replaced the brake drum that hit the ground just for good measure. Machined all the drums and got everything put back together. The car rode very nicely before, but now... WOW!!!

Even with the same tires the car rides much better than before. These new Dayton wheels are so much better than the old OEM wheels. Ride is better and handling is more crisp due to the stiffer wheel. THe wider rim also helps spread the tire out a little to stiffen things up even more.

The wider rim (4.5") puts the tires out 1/4" more than stock, and the maintenance-free wheel is dished a bit less to that puts it another 1/4" towards the outside for a grand total of a 1" wider stance than before, outside to outside measurement (+1/2" offset each side), front and rear. I don't notice any difference in handling, stability or steering as a direct result of the offset. I was curious if I would notice the difference visually and I do, but it actually looks nicer than before IMHO. They don't sit much farther out but it does fill the wheel well better without the need to use wider tires for the same effect. Overall I am extremely happy with the wheels. Brakes feel a bit squishy and the tires don't have much braking traction but that's another matter...
Steve Simmons

Boy, you just can't trust these MG cars, what with hub and wheel splines only lasting 45 years...
One of the MG Brothers - Chuck Reece

This thread was discussed between 04/11/2004 and 11/11/2004

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