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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Do you like speed humps?




The little frogeye did not like the latest type speedhump, especially the exhaust manifold did not survive it. Here in Amsterdam are many speedhumps what to do (driving more gently is an option) do you have any other (mechanical) options?

Flip



Flip Brühl 948 frog 59

ouch!!

get a lawyer.

What about some kind of spring loaded retractable rollers rails,

the roller rails would extend about a foot infront of the car, your roller rail hits the speed bump the car rides on top as soon as the car clears and force removed from the rail a spring slams roller rail back into postion and your ready for the next bump....this could work for large holes and even snow ditches

Prop
Prop

Flip, have you thought of something like a cartershield like the rally cars have, maybe just a small one for just the manifold?

Is your exhaustpipe close enough to the bottom so you get the most clearance possible?

I destroyed a nice rally manifold because i had lowered my car to much, although looking very cool a low spridget is not very functional in speedramps-Holland.
Who said Holland was flat?
Not anymore it isnt...
Arie de Best

Flip,

Maybe get a tubular manifold as they should flex more rather than breaking. Some years back a speed bump was put in at the end of my mothers drive, it's shared, and there are still many gouges evident from my frogeye exhaust system but it never broke anything, didn't sound good though.

Now if I lived in London in the Tuffnel park/Camden town area I might consider a 4x4 because of the size of the speed bumps, or sleeping policemen as we politely call them, enormous great things.
David Billington

get a tubilar manifold they are less prone to wrecking and usualy sit a bit tighter under the body

but i do have to remove and re seal my exhaust about once a year because the hups knock it lose and then it is puffing al over the place

might start looking for a set of std leaf springs to replace the lowered ones
that should help a bit
Onno Könemann

Flip, consider modifying the down pipe and install one of the flexible connectors as used on most FWD cars these days, that should take up any shock from the speed bumps on the pipe and save your manifold. Other than that a skid plate might be in order, but that will reduce your clearance even more. It's something that Spridget drivers just have to learn to deal with though as our cars are already quite low to start with and many of us like to lower them even more.


Bill Young

I shorten the manifolds (notice, plural, I get through quite a few of them) on my (very low) road midget because otherwise I have no chance on speed bumps!

It's an ongoing challenge/mission for me and my mechanic to see how we can get as much clearance as possible!

So far, not all so much luck...
Rich Amos

Or get a "trough the car" exhaust system. Might get a bit hot for the passenger or, with a LHD the driver.
Alex G Matla

Welcome to my world.
The problem is that if you raise the exhaust, you then have the ability to cook your passengers shoes. Ask me how I know.
Gary Lazarus

I shortened the down-pipes so the exhuast runs about 1" under (and parallel) to the floor. (It gets very warm, esp in the passenger footwell, during continuous high speed, as mentioned above.)

At the other end, I make sure the silencer is mounted high at its leading edge - if you use a straight pipe, often the silencer joint is the lowest part - you need a small joggle in the pipe to do this.

A
Anthony Cutler

After my recent trip to Holland, I think Holland should now be known as the 'Land of the Speedhumps' as opposed to the 'Land of the Windmills'. And we think we have many speed cameras in the UK!
Doug Plumb

Doug welcome in my "world".
We(actualy mr Gatsonides) bloody invented these stinking speedcameras you now also see in the UK.
Wait untill you get our newest permanent average speedcameras...
Arie de Best

Arie

<Wait untill you get our newest permanent average speedcameras>

So long as they don't monitor the pubs in between, you'll be right - drive like the clappers, stop for a beer, then see if you can still break the average speed!

Anthony

<It gets very warm, esp in the passenger footwell, during continuous high speed>

Amen to that. Melted the soles of a new set of trainers when the floor mats weren't there!
Paul Walbran

I had a friend used a section of scaffolding pole for the system pipe. He said you could scrape it as often and hard as you like and it never gave him any trouble.
Daniel Thirteen-Twelve

Gentlemen,

thank you for all suggestions. A scaffolding pole is a original cheap and easy option but what kind of material?

Flip



Flip Brühl 948 frog 59

I like Daniel's idea of the scaffolding pole, but you'll still need some way to insulate the manifold from the impact or risk cracking another. That's where the flex coupling would be of use, to take up the impact and protect the manifold.
Bill Young

Bill,
I dont have an other manifold, what is the price of a flexible connector?

Flip
Flip Brühl 948 frog 59

This thread was discussed between 06/07/2009 and 08/07/2009

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