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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Clunking rear- anti-tramp suggestions?

I know this has been discussed somewhere and sometime here... one more time for me please?

I've got a clunk from the back seems like passenger side (US spec 78 midget)

I've lowered my front end, have no rubber bumpers - instead have a chrome bumper at rear and none in front.

My front is pretty low, so much that though I can drive alone with no trouble if I add a passenger then I get a bit of tire rubbing on the front wings on hard cornering.

I'm thinking I'll remove the leaf spring spacer (maybe today) to drop the rear a bit.

The big problem is that when I take off with any gusto at all, or hit second gear and give it a bit of speed, I get a clunk down and back there like someone's hitting something under there with a hammer.

I've read about anti-tramp kits etc? Is that what's indicated here? I've made sure my shock bolts are nice and tight and today I will check all my U bolts for tightness.

Where would I get a kit here in the USA, what's the right one for me and can I make it instead? If so are there some instructions online?
Rick Bastedo

I once had a clunking on my 79, that turned out to be a loose rear shock. Try tightening everything in the rear suspension.
Rik
Rik Hogan

Rick-
If you have wire wheels, you may have a problem with worn splines.
J Strange

Rick,

If by leaf spring spacer you mean a spacer between the spring and axle, then removing it will raise the rear of the car.
David Billington

No, the spacer between the front spring mount and body.
It's a 1/2 inch steel bar that (so I've been told) when removed will lower the body 1 inch.

I just performed this task and it did work as advertised.

I also tightened up all the U bolts and yesterday I tightened up all the shock mounting bolts.

I've just come in to wash my hands so I'll go out in a few minutes to give it a try out.
Rick Bastedo

Well, I do notice the different angle with the back dropped just an inch. I like it.

It still clunks, it's definitely coming from something in the back. It does not do it if I start out smoothly & shift smoothly without putting a lot of power to the car.

It does not do it if I shift down 3rd to 2nd or 2nd to 1st.

I tightened up the u-bolts but I don't have a torque wrench any more and don't know how tight they should be.
I made them 'tight'.
Rick Bastedo

Rick, most of the time axle tramp is heard more like a series of heavy thumps than a clunk. That sounds more like a bit of looseness in the differential or u-joints than axle tramp. As far as anti tramp bars go, they're pretty easy to build yourself if you have a welder. There are a lot of designs, but perhaps the best would be one that has allowance for the bar to elongate but not compress as when the spring begins to wrap up the bar which is mounted below the spring is forced forward into it's mounting. I made a very simple fixed length bar but used urethane bushings to allow for a slight change in length. The bar should be the same length center to center of it's mouning points as the length of the spring main leaf from the center bolt to the front spring eye center, measured in a direct line and with weight on. The mountings should also be equal distant from the top of the main leaf and the front eye center. This will allow the bar to move in a parrall arc with the spring and minimize binding. I welded the tabs for the mountings on the bottom of the lower spring plate and on either side of the front spring perch. Hard to see in the photo as it's painted black.


Bill Young

Thanks Bill, that helps a bunch.
I think I'd go with a kit if I decided to do it, my shed is gone so right now whatever I do has to be done on the street.

I went out and changed my differential oil and looked again.

The bushings for the lower links of the rear leaf spring mounts are pretty bad. I need to find some new ones and replace them.
Rick Bastedo

This thread was discussed between 18/01/2009 and 19/01/2009

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