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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Tyred from Gaydon!

Looking at all the wonderful frogeyes at magnificent Spridget 50, it seems mine was the only one still wearing cross plies. That probably explains why at times on the way there it felt like driving on ice (altho possibly my rear shocks are iffy). I think I still have the original wheels and have 520/13 cross plys. Could someone kindly suggest what radials I should be looking for please?
I had only managed 70 miles in total before Saturday, so many thanks to organisers for focusing me.
GrahamMV

Graham, most would suggest 145/13s for your car, I might go for 155/13s myself

I run 155/13s on my Rostyles on my midget

Spridget50 has brought project cars out of sheds and garages all across the country
Bill

Bill,
Thanks. I assume I would get better grip with 155/13 than 145/13, but is there a danger they wont fit? If so, I will play it safe with 145/13.
Thanks
GrahamMV

Not a lot of risk of them not fitting on a Frog with its big roundyround wheel arches

I think it is useful to have a little grip'then slip so you can enjoy corners from 145s but I'm very happy with 155s, I dont think I want to get any wider though
Bill

Many thanks for yr help. Will buy some. Do you know if its illegal to keep the cross ply on the spare?
GrahamMV

At the risk of repeating the archives, the usual issue is trying to find ANY sort of tyres appropriate for spirited Spridgeting in a 13" size. The wider you are willing to go, the less difficult it is. Anything up to a 165 will fit any straight Spridget, although individual variations may lead to a bit of rubbing if you take the roundabouts with your foot flat on the floor. RWA models work fine with 175s and I get minimal rubbing with a 185/60 when autocrossing mine (although I have not checked since fitting a panhard rod).
David "too tyred too" Lieb
David Lieb

Graham --

Just curious; how old are your crossplies? If they've been around a few years, the compounds could have hardened and are now providing reduced grip.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

I have no idea how old they are. Only bought the car a couple of months ago (thanks to Gaydon pushing me on) but from old MOT refusal certificates I imagine they are probably at least 10 years old
GrahamMV

I need to get my new tyres fitted, as its still running crossplies from its restoration 15 years ago (or is it now 20?) when my dad couldnt afford to buy spangly new tyres!

I bought a set of toyo 155's for it, as my experience with them have always been good.
FAS Sharvell

the width thing is not due to bodywork but 'cos frogs have very skinny wheels don't they? IIRC they're certainly narrower than Rostyles...
David Smith(davidDOTsmithATstonesDOTcom

Yes, they are narrow. According to Horler, they are a mere 3.5" wide! Time to acquire an alternate set of rims?
David "too many rims" Lieb
David Lieb

Graham, my mk2 has original Frog wheels and 145s are the correct width. I did try some 155s once and they were really too wide for the wheel. The 145s offer more than adequate grip.

145s are readily availably and dead cheap. My local garage fit Firestones to mine and they are usually about £35 including fitting.
Jeremy Cogman

GrahamMV,

My MK 2 Midget is fitted with crossplies, 5.60 X 13, by CAMAC. They were fitted to the car when I bought it 8 years ago, and are still in good condition - I'm restricted to 1500 miles p.a on the insurance, and the car is always kept garaged when not in use.
Crossplies are still available from tyre specialists like Vintage Tyre Supplies, Longstone tyres, etc. Note that radials are superior than crossplies when cornering, but in straight-ahead driving there is little difference. You can't mix crossplies and radials on the same axle, and you can't have radials on the front and crossplies on the rear. What size and make is your spare tyre? I discovered that the spare in my boot was a Goodyear India 5.20 X 13, but appeared to have a puncture (goes completely flat after a few weeks). I bought a 5.60 X 13 tyre to replace it, but discovered it wouldn't fit flat on the boot floor due to it's increased size. Not sure how the spare tyre fits in a Frogeye boot, but a radial 145 X 13 is bigger than even a 5.60 X 13 crossply (145mm vs. 140mm). If you do decide to change your crossplies to radials, let me know, I might be interested in buying one of the crossplies as a spare for my car.
Adrian

Thanks for all your help. I will go for the 145's.

Adrian - as well as having the 5 cross plies on the car I have 4 spare ones that came with it. You are welcome to whatever you want, for free. Where are you based - I am North London, near Watford.

Oh and sorry - as soon as I posted, I realised I cant use a cross ply as a spare with radials on the car.

Graham V

Graham,

I'm in Berkshire, near Reading.
Just need one 5.20 X 13 crossply as a spare - do you have one that's new or relatively new, and what make is it/are they? I can pick up from your place, or meet you somewhere. You can email me on ar_jones 'at' yahoo 'dot' com - replace 'at' with @ and 'dot' with a . and remove all the spaces.





Adrian

Adrian - Have sent u email
GrahamMV

This thread was discussed between 27/05/2008 and 28/05/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.