Fitting an aftermarket steering wheel to an MGB changes the driving experience more noticeably than almost any other single upgrade. The original MGB wheel was 16½ inches in diameter on early cars, large by modern standards, reduced to 15½ inches from the 1970 model year and then to 15 inches from the 1977 facelift. A smaller aftermarket wheel sharpens the steering response, opens up the cockpit, and gives the driving position a more purposeful character.
The original wheel rims were moulded from acetate, changed to polypropylene in March 1969 to remedy a tendency to crack, a detail worth knowing when assessing whether an original wheel is worth retaining.
Wheel Options
Wood and leather rim wheels are available in a range of diameters and spoke configurations to suit different tastes. Moto-Lita wheels are hand-crafted in the UK and represent the benchmark in classic car steering wheels, available in wood, walnut, and leather rim options from 13 to 16 inches, in flat or dished profiles with or without holes. Classic wheels offer a riveted dark wood rim with polished alloy three-spoke construction, and Mountney wheels provide an accessible entry point in a choice of materials and sizes from 13 inches upwards.
Boss Kits
The boss kit is the critical component in any aftermarket wheel installation and must be correctly matched to the steering column. The chrome bumper and rubber bumper MGB columns use different splines and are not interchangeable, and the 1968 export column fitted to cars with the energy-absorbing column for North American and certain European markets is a specific variant requiring its own boss. Two boss kit ranges are available, Moto-Lita boss kits designed specifically for Moto-Lita wheels, and Classic boss kits featuring a multi-drilled PCD accepting both six-hole and nine-hole wheel fixings for flexibility across different wheel choices, both cast aluminium and supplied with centre cap, MG badge, and screw fitting kit.
Centres, Horn Pushes & Compatibility
Wheel centres and horn pushes finish the centre of the wheel, with aluminium centre horn pushes available in two diameters to suit different wheel sizes, and a classic-style horn push available specifically for Moto-Lita wheels on pre-1976 MGBs for a period-correct appearance. When fitting any aftermarket wheel, two compatibility points must be checked. First, the indicator cancellation mechanism changed at the 1977 model year from a cam on the column to a mechanism integrated into the wheel itself, so some aftermarket wheels will not engage the cancellation peg on the MGB column, and a pre-1977 wheel cannot be fitted to a post-1977 column without addressing this. Second, the horn contact arrangement should be confirmed and adapted correctly for the replacement wheel.
Great care should be taken when changing steering wheels on collapsible steering columns, as undue force could cause the column to collapse.