Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Maintenance & Servicing Spare Wheel Retainer

The spare wheel retainer, (don't know its technical term since it's not even mentioned in the manual - mind you, neither is the spare wheel); the thing that looks like something from the War of the Worlds with a single brake light incorporated has become loose and is rattling.
I just wondered if there is any way to tighten it without removing the luggage rack and extracting the rear wheel?

Grateful any suggestions.

That's the "Cobra" Held by four erratically applied wood screws into the frame.

The only way to tighten is to take the spare off.

Can you clarify the spare wheel carrier, ie. have you taken the spare wheel out of the car. Is it the thing that looks like the local blacksmith made it or are you talking about the cobra with the high level brake light on it. If so the cobra doesn't hold the spare wheel in place , rather its cosmetic to hold the high level brake light and as Dave has said, it's screwed to the ash frame with wood screws by a very competent technician!

The thing that looks like the local blacksmith made it is the mount for the spare wheel. The "tee bar" passes through the spacer and into the threaded hole (yellow arrow). The rattly cobra is held in place with 4 screws, start with the lower ones (blue arrows) then adjust up and down and secure in place with the two upper screws (red arrows). If you have the cobra too low, the tyre will foul it as you try to position the spare. If you don't have the spacer the whole spare wheel/assembly will rattle horribly, good quality replacements are avalable on Ebay www.ebay.co.uk/itm/156078389756

Do you ever have those days when you wonder how you learnt to walk and chew gum at the same time?


So, I figured out the spare would have to be removed.
Undid the big central retaining T bolt - eventually - and then set out to undo the two lock nuts holding the lower corners of the luggage rack to the back of the two fenders.
Just enough room to get a spanner in, but only to undo the nut 1/8th turn at a time.

Thinks bubble - I'm glad I'm not on the side of the M1 on a dark, rainy night . . . .
But, after twenty minutes of effort, I realise the locknut doesn't appear to be moving, and a little careful tactile use of fingertip reveals the whole thing is rotating - not just the locknut, which isn't budging at all.
Cursing Mr Morgan's design philosophy, I then stand up and wonder how to get another spanner of socket on the dome head, and pull the luggage rack slightly upwards to see if there's any slack.
And . . . as you all probably know, the design philosophy reveals itself and the luggage rack lifts off

The rest is history - the four screws are tightened, the cobra is immobile again, the wire spare has been cleaned and inflated, and I've learnt a bit more about Morgans.

I'm beginning to wonder if a Haynes manual might be a good investment.

I shouldn't laugh - but Haynes manual?
Good luck with your journey into Morgan foibles

Ah - so I'm guessing Mr Morgan has not interacted with Mr Haynes?
Doesn't really matter, this Forum seems to have all of the answers, all of the time!

Ben, if you have overriders the factory luggage rack just lifts vertically off support pins on brackets secured by each rear overrider upper fixing. This after removing the T bar securing spare wheel. See mine below which supports sidescreen stowage below luggage.



It takes seconds. Regarding Cobra, once rack and spare wheel are out you should be able to see the four wood screws securing same. A light and mirror may help. The screws are fitted through slots in the cobra moulding allowing it to be slid in or out to fit snug against spare wheel when all back in place. Some expermentation may be needed to find this position so don't fully tighten screws until your happy with cobra position.

I seriously doubt there are enough Morgan cars in existence to interest Haynes manuals - a very limited market. There were manuals for earlier cars, up to some time in the 1970s, but not in the manner of step by step dismantling / repairs of later manuals. And they often missed out a lot of minor detail...

I bought the Haynes manual for Ford Mustang 2005 through 2014. This covers the engine and gearbox in our cars Ben.