Talk Morgan Forums Thread Like Summary - 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.

Fingers crossed . . .

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!

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.

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

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

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

I'm not sure that trads were ever actually 'designed'.........🤷🏻‍♂️..... if they were it was the thick end of 100 years ago......😁
They were probably more of a process of evolution with each addition made with little regard for what came before or will be needed after......😁
So...... with a century of bodging and fiddling by MMC there's hardly and wonder that the whole package is a compromise.......
However....... it's probably what makes them so good.......🤯

Cobra brake light........... a monstrous carbuncle, to quote HRH....... I know why it's there and it is probably vital..... but it looks terrible (imho)......
It is the first thing I take off, the look of the car is instantly improved by its removal........!!🤷🏻‍♂️

🇬🇧🇬🇧

Yes I agree with julian there! You can adapt a central brake light that just clips in to the plug where the cobra goes and then clip it to the rear rack for MOT purposes as some, if switched on, know it requires a high level brake light!

Whizjet, You don't have to remove the bumper bracket bolts to get the spare off, it was "designed" well as julian said not really, to swivel outwards after you have removed the T bar and it stands vertically.... yes in the way of getting the spare out!. Much more manageable without the cobra fitted, but do-able.

The nearest you get to a Haynes manual for pre CX trad morgans is gomog.
www.gomog.com
There are links in there for handbooks for some models.
It is possible to get a Haynes manual for a car that used the engine in your model too but only the engine and even then there might be some modifications to some parts.
The Cobra high brake light......
I have one on my Plus Four, not the ones built into the hood. If carrying a suitcase on the rack it gets obscured so mine has a mod...Superseal connectors to allow disconnecting it and fitting an aftermarket LED brake light onto the suitcase, maintaining the extra light set up. When suitcase is removed it's a simple job to plug it back in.

Ben
This video may help you (once you've skipped the advert)
Video Link

Nice Jeep! A good partner for the Morgan