I know I would be better off with coil overs but that's in the future. My front suspension is stock MG with the exception of a tube shock kit and with the 302 and T-5 I still have what I think is sufficient spring travel. I do have a set of new bushings to install and could change them at the same time. Is this going to be a problem or should I change the front springs?
Paul
hello paul if you are talking about the lower a frame bushings your springs will come out when you do them so why not put the new springs in
Paul, the quick answer is that the stock MG springs are adequate for the 302 conversion - no sophisticated upgrades needed in the short term other than the usual attention to worn components (kingpins, bushings, etc)..
The car was never a daily driver so the king pins and bushings have reasonable millage on them but the rubber parts are 41 years old. As I have new parts I'll replace them and inspect the other front parts when I do. Thanks for the info.
Paul
Along the same subject, I'd like to drop the front of my MGTD about an inch. What would be the best approach without cutting or heating? Thanks, Marvin, ct
Don't know if it helps but I have 77 shell which I lowered using Moss AHT21PR front springs, negative camber wishbones, standard dampers, lowered rear springs (TMG40731) , Spax rear dampers, 3/4" antiroll bar and polyurethane bushes. The car actually handles really well, she drops into corners beautifully and is a joy to drive on country lanes. This is my 6th B and it drives nothing like any of them....its weird....I love it.
Can only assume that the V8/gearbox weight distibution combined with the 1" lowering makes the car handle completely differently. I can go comfortably round a corner at 70mph which I used to struggle at 50mph. All my other B's kind of skittered around corners, always feeling like they were going to spion or go straight on, this one corners.
Paul,
The original suspension geometry on the old B's isn't really all that bad.
Despite the complaints of many.
It's just old and worn. As the lovely Lynne says.
Put back to factory specs. it's really pretty good unless you're trying to race a newer VW golf or a Mazda MX5.
Or a Prius or a Nissan Pathfinder Chevy cavalier Ford Taurus etc.
Much can be done to get you up to speed so to say
There are largely two schools of thought on spring rate.
One says that enough rate to suspend the car is adequate. The suspension movement should be controlled by the shock absorbers.
The other says that the spring rate should dictate the attitude of the vehicle.
If I'm looking for the more comfortable ride, then head for the softer more compliant soft spring version. But beware that in a limited travel situation that the B provides, it can result in a very harsh environment at it's limits.
If it was my car, I would set up with a pretty strong front spring and a shock to control it. (I think that a shock should control the spring not the car). The front bushings should be solid or at least a hard urethane. A big ass sway bar 3/4 to an inch to give the rear end a chance to catch some pavement. And no sway bar at the rear with a solid axle. You will have enough trouble at the rear trying to hook up without throwing a sway bar into the mix.
Get your local frame shop to bend your rear axle to a 1-1.5 camber angle and you have a pretty good setup.
Some good old fashioned traction bars will help a lot in the straight line and add something that us old guys can relate to.
Spring clamps can be more stealthy and foreign approach to the younger crowd.
Paul, I am constantly getting told that I'm too old school.
That the digital age is upon us. But I constantly leave these guys in my dust.
I hold the current track record in every class that we have entered.
Possibly I'me missing something but who cares.
Cheers
Fred
Thanks, I'm pretty old school too!
Paul