Post by cdb15 on Sept 7, 2017 11:31:50 GMT
Faced with having no gas strut (yet!) to open the Webster canopy, and having eaten rather more pork pies than perhaps was wise, I have been tackling the problem of getting in and out of my Bug. The biggest problem was the steering wheel, so the obvious solution was to take it off. This was great, I could get in and out so easily I did it several times just for fun! However, when it comes to driving the wheel is rather needed, so obviously my solution was to get a quick-release kit.
Now I know that some Bugs have QR steering wheels, but there seems very little about this on this Forum, so I thought it might be helpful to share what I've found. Which is this:
Fitting a QR kit is not straightforward, because the only current QR kits are based on the current standard fittings of 70mm or 74mm PCD, whereas in the days when the Bug was produced wheels typically fitted on a 101mm PCD. Add to that the different steering columns that might be used (though the typical Reliant one seems to be a fairly widespread UK standard 36 spline 5/8"/16mm diameter spline shared with pre-1976 Triumph Spitfires amongst others) and that some wheels have a 9-hole fitting instead of 6 and you realise that this is fertile ground for adapters.
And that is true. I found Scarborough Racing Developments to be an excellent source of competitively priced adapters of all sorts for steering wheels, bosses and all things related. By stacking one adapter on top of another, for about £100-£150 depending on your choices you could easily stick a 9-hole classic Mini steering wheel through a 70mm PCD QR kit to a 36-spline boss. However, the downside of all this is that by now the steering wheel is somewhere in the region of your chin, and you have to lean your head backwards in order to open your mouth…
No, it’s not that bad, but in the rather cramped conditions of the Bug cabin the distance to the steering wheel is a serious issue that should not be ignored.
So, the other route to go down – and the one I chose because I had parts around to play with so in the end it all cost me nothing – is to fit a very flat wheel, of very low diameter. My Bug came with a dished 13” diameter Astrali wheel on a fairly deep Astrali boss, with a 6 x 101mm hole fitting. Access was quite awkward, even to the extent of being easier if I did not have my keys in my pocket.
I have replaced this with a pretty much flat 11” Mountney wheel on what I think is a Mountney boss, and the difference is remarkable. Apart from the reduced diameter, the wheel itself is now about 15-20mm further forward. I can easily get in and out of the car without the hassle of removing and refixing the wheel, and there is altogether more ‘space’ in the driver’s seat.
If you do want a QR kit, there are plenty of cheap Chinese ones on eBay, but the thinnest ‘quality’ one I found was the Mountney ML01 from Larkspeed at around £40. They told me this will add 27-28mm depth to the steering column when fitted. Remember, this is a 70/74 PCD item, so to use it you may have to change both your boss and your steering wheel.
The cheapest boss with the correct splines was around £32 plus delivery from Scarborough. If you want an adapter to fit a 101mm PCD wheel to a 70/74mm boss, an adapter ring from Scarborough is around £30. As for different steering wheels, well the best source is probably eBay. I’m expecting a 10” Mountney any day now, but the 11” one is so good I expect I will stick with it. 10” might be a step too far, and make the steering too tiring for the access benefits it gives.
Before in red, after in black.
images uploader
Now I know that some Bugs have QR steering wheels, but there seems very little about this on this Forum, so I thought it might be helpful to share what I've found. Which is this:
Fitting a QR kit is not straightforward, because the only current QR kits are based on the current standard fittings of 70mm or 74mm PCD, whereas in the days when the Bug was produced wheels typically fitted on a 101mm PCD. Add to that the different steering columns that might be used (though the typical Reliant one seems to be a fairly widespread UK standard 36 spline 5/8"/16mm diameter spline shared with pre-1976 Triumph Spitfires amongst others) and that some wheels have a 9-hole fitting instead of 6 and you realise that this is fertile ground for adapters.
And that is true. I found Scarborough Racing Developments to be an excellent source of competitively priced adapters of all sorts for steering wheels, bosses and all things related. By stacking one adapter on top of another, for about £100-£150 depending on your choices you could easily stick a 9-hole classic Mini steering wheel through a 70mm PCD QR kit to a 36-spline boss. However, the downside of all this is that by now the steering wheel is somewhere in the region of your chin, and you have to lean your head backwards in order to open your mouth…
No, it’s not that bad, but in the rather cramped conditions of the Bug cabin the distance to the steering wheel is a serious issue that should not be ignored.
So, the other route to go down – and the one I chose because I had parts around to play with so in the end it all cost me nothing – is to fit a very flat wheel, of very low diameter. My Bug came with a dished 13” diameter Astrali wheel on a fairly deep Astrali boss, with a 6 x 101mm hole fitting. Access was quite awkward, even to the extent of being easier if I did not have my keys in my pocket.
I have replaced this with a pretty much flat 11” Mountney wheel on what I think is a Mountney boss, and the difference is remarkable. Apart from the reduced diameter, the wheel itself is now about 15-20mm further forward. I can easily get in and out of the car without the hassle of removing and refixing the wheel, and there is altogether more ‘space’ in the driver’s seat.
If you do want a QR kit, there are plenty of cheap Chinese ones on eBay, but the thinnest ‘quality’ one I found was the Mountney ML01 from Larkspeed at around £40. They told me this will add 27-28mm depth to the steering column when fitted. Remember, this is a 70/74 PCD item, so to use it you may have to change both your boss and your steering wheel.
The cheapest boss with the correct splines was around £32 plus delivery from Scarborough. If you want an adapter to fit a 101mm PCD wheel to a 70/74mm boss, an adapter ring from Scarborough is around £30. As for different steering wheels, well the best source is probably eBay. I’m expecting a 10” Mountney any day now, but the 11” one is so good I expect I will stick with it. 10” might be a step too far, and make the steering too tiring for the access benefits it gives.
Before in red, after in black.
images uploader
