The wheel centre is the polished horn-push assembly that fits into the centre of an aftermarket steering wheel, completing the installation visually and providing the contact arrangement for the horn circuit, the visual focal point where the badge sits at the centre of the wheel and the spokes meet. The wheel centre serves two purposes, covering the boss fixing screws for a clean finished appearance, and in most cases incorporating the horn push so that horn operation is retained after fitting an aftermarket wheel. The centre carries the MG octagon badge, restoring the MG identity to the dashboard area once the boss kit and aftermarket wheel are in place.
Aluminium Horn-Push Centres
Polished aluminium horn-push centres are produced as the matching component to Moto-Lita boss kits and wheels, available in 4.5-inch and 3.5-inch diameters to suit different wheel sizes, with the matched horn-push contact arrangement designed to engage cleanly with the boss kit's wiring path. Three principal styles are stocked: the full-cover horn-push centre conceals the wheel fixing screws entirely for the tidiest result, the smaller-diameter horn-push centre leaves the fixing screws visible but still provides horn operation, and for owners who do not require a horn push, or who are wiring the horn through a separate button, a plain aluminium centre cap without horn push is also available. The Classic range provides equivalent options at a more accessible price point, with a polished horn centre push to suit the Classic boss-kit series, the choice of full-face push activating the horn when pressed anywhere on the centre face and the smaller centre push providing a discrete activation point. Centre badges are stocked in cream-on-black and red-on-black liveries to match the rest of the badge scheme on the car.
Classic-Style MG Centres
A classic-style horn push is available specifically for Moto-Lita wheels, replicating the design originally fitted to early MGB and MGC models, providing period MG identity to the aftermarket wheel and incorporating the MGOC's own fitting modification that makes it compatible with both Moto-Lita and competition-style wheels without further adaptation. This is a popular choice for owners who want a period-correct centre with a clean factory appearance on an aftermarket wheel, particularly on earlier cars where the modern aluminium centre might look out of place. Fixed decorative centres without horn function provide a clean appearance with plain polished face for installations where the horn is operated through a separate button, while small horn-push buttons and full-face horn-push centres cover the active horn-operation options.
Horn Wiring & Application Notes
Steering wheel centres typically fit through a combination of mechanical mounting, spring-clip retention, screw retention, or push-fit retention depending on the specific pattern, and electrical connection, the horn-button wiring connecting from the wheel through the boss to the centre cover's horn contact, with care needed to ensure the horn operates correctly without grounding against the wheel structure. Where a wheel centre is being renewed during a wheel change, the horn wiring is renewed alongside if it has aged or shows any signs of insulation deterioration, as a horn that operates intermittently due to ageing wiring is one of the most common and easily-fixed faults on a classic-MG steering installation. The choice of centre depends on wheel brand, boss type, and whether the car has an alternative horn switch on the indicator stalk, with the wheel and boss combination confirmed before ordering as horn-push diameter and fixing method vary between the Moto-Lita and Classic ranges and the two are not interchangeable. On the earliest cars in the range where the horn circuit uses a separate push mounted on the dashboard or under the scuttle rather than a contact through the steering column, a centre with a horn push can be fitted for its appearance but pressing the button will not sound the horns, so for these applications a plain centre cap without horn push is the practical choice, leaving the existing dashboard horn push to operate as before.