Wire Wheel conversion

[Mac]

This XK 140 I'm restoring came with the steel disc style wheels. I would like to convert to a chrome/stainless wire wheek such as I had on my Austin Healey. The Healey's hubs just bolted on using the lug nuts. However, researching the XK a little it appears as though the wire wheel hub may not be just bolt on but an assembly that includes the bearing too. And also different brake drums for the wire wheel hub. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Mac

 

[Steve]

I'll look this up once I get home this evening. I have a book on the XKs that will tell us.

 

[Exotexs]

sounds like the Healey's wires were aftermarket? if they are real Jaguar wire wheels, the axle ends would have a hub with a large spline onto which the wire wheel mounts/slides on, then it is secured with the spin ons. wire wheels are a pain to keep shiny and detailed, though they sure look beautiful. In my '65 S type I can't get the rear wheel and tire off the hub/spline without purging all the air out of the tire first, not good for on-the-road servicing in case of a flat. The reason is the low sheetmetal wheel opening in the rear wings. When you raise the car, the suspension has a limit as to how far it travels downwards, and it is not enough to clear the wire wheel spline! the wheel has to be forced outwards using a belt tensioner or similar tool!
The solution is to modify the body by cutting a bigger opening at the rear wings, in reality copying the MK-II rear wheel openings, if I only had the money...

 

[John S Farrington]

I have been through your dilemna since I converted an MGB from discs to wires. It had the same problem involving the splines vrs. lug bolts. Moss offered a conversion kit for the MGB but I dont know if one is available for an XK140 vintage Jaguar. I doubt if conversion bolt on splines are available for an older Jag. If not, other solutions are to get an after market bolt on wire wheel set from Dayton or go the expensive route and get the original spline assemblies if they are available. It would involve finding rear axles and front wheel spline fittings for an XK140.

 

[Mac]

Exotexs, Sorry, I don't think I explained the Healey wires very well. The wires are not bolt on, however the hubs on Healeys and Triumph's bolt on with lug nuts. The hubs have the large spline with knock off's holding the wires on. It appears to me as though the Jaguar XK 140 has a different setup for the hubs. Mac

 

[piman]

Hello Exotecs,

it sounds as if you have the wrong wheel fitted, you should not have to do that to remove a wire wheel from an 'S' type?
What size tyres are fitted by the way?

Alec

 

[R6MGS]

[ QUOTE ]
Exotexs, Sorry, I don't think I explained the Healey wires very well. The wires are not bolt on, however the hubs on Healeys and Triumph's bolt on with lug nuts. The hubs have the large spline with knock off's holding the wires on. It appears to me as though the Jaguar XK 140 has a different setup for the hubs. Mac

[/ QUOTE ]


You can buy a set of bolt on Triumph/Healey splines and with a little modification, bolt them onto the Jag.....Some people don't like to do this but I've done it on my MGA with no problems....The track will be slightly wider afterwards.

 

[Exotexs]

Alec: I have the wrong size tires mounted in the 15" wire wheels in the '65 S type: 215-70-15. that's what it had when I got the car. It should have 185-15 tires per the original specs.

Mac: now I understand, I wasn't familiar with the Healey setup. But Jaguars have a different setup, like Jack stated, the spline for wire wheels is part of the axle, not an adapter. Having said that, you could find the spline hubs from another XK and replace the steel wheel hubs.