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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Front Dampers

My front dampers are leaking oil again. These were recon. I've never really been happy with recon units as there always seems to be some evidence of wear and play in the arm - its hit and miss as to how good they are.
Not going down the recon route again.
New ones are available at about £90 each (Moss, MGB Hive)- how good are these?
Alternatively I can go with Frontline setup but this is expensive - is it worth the extra cost?
Not sure what to do, any suggestions welcome.

Ta
Les
Les Robinson

although the shipping would be across the pond, I always recommend these guys as their rebuilt are better than new:

http://www.worldwideimportautoparts.com/servlet/StoreFront

at $90 each, the exchange rate is going to provide you a pretty good discount over the new ones you quoted above, maybe enough to cover the shipping

Darn, the new website for them doesn't go into any detail about what is done to make their rebuilt dampers so much better than what you get from anywhere else. As I recall, the main pivot has a proper bearing pressed in, and the valving is inspected for flow rate. They also offer adjustable ones for racing (he talked me out of them for a road car, though, because most folks end up at the "OEM" setting for road use anyway).

Norm
Norm Kerr

I did find this on their website:

"These are rebuilt to the very highest standards, utilizing modern lip seals, bearings, and stainless steel shaft sleeves... The shocks are thoroughly cleaned, inspected, glass bead blasted, then machined..."

As Norm implies, they're not only better than other rebuilds, they're most likely better than new ones. I have a set on the front of my '78 that replaced some earlier rebuilds from another supplier that were providing no damping effect whatsoever anymore.

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

Lee,

have a look at this in the archives about Peter May's top link damper conversion -
http://www2.mgcars.org.uk/cgi-bin/gen5?runprog=mgbbs&access=&mode=archiveth&subject=97&subjectar=97&thread=2010101717313916369

I decided not to take the plunge and replaced the black and horrible gunge which was masquerading as oil with motorcycle fork oil which has had the desired effect - the dampers damp now!

Jeremy
Jeremy 3

Dont know about the price but im very pleased with the frontline set-up and in combination with a 11/16 anti-rollbar gives a fabelous handling!
Arie de Best

Starting to get less and less satisfied with the FL kit....
After 4 years of use the top arm has frozen to the pivot bolt.
Since I have the later kit without the grease point there should have not been any need to service it (or so they told me)

Certainly if it is a hoby car go with good lever arms.
For more intensive use the FL kit might have advantages but it is not without its own faults
Onno Könemann

Les,

MY opinion...

Unless there have been some significant improvements, the 'New' shock absorbers are not that good. My experiance with them has seen quite a high failure rate withe the internal rocker spinning on the main shaft allowing the arm to float or in one case almost come free from the housing. Of course this may have changed now, but I'd be VERY wary of them still. They were supposed to be the answer when introduced.

The Frontline kit (David Billingtons design) is good but make sure you mount the shocks so the adjusters are not able to contact the tyres at any time (seen this and experianced the wierd handling with one fully hard, the other fully soft..!).

Reconditioned original Armstrongs, for me, are still the way to go. I've tried various suppliers and found the best by far to be Peter May.
http://www.petermayengineering.co.uk/

There is also a supplier in the USA who modifies original units and I'm having a blank moment and can't remember his name (someone will come to my rescue soon I'm sure).

Good luck with your choices..

Mark.
M T Boldry

Mark he is linked above ;)
Onno Könemann

Sorry didn't realise the above link wasn't working for the Peter May top link modification.

See http://www.petermayengineering.co.uk/specialistProducts.htm#1.18.1

Jeremy
Jeremy 3

We had an interesting experience with the new fronts.

First, found the bolt holes were still as cast and hadn't been machined out so the bolts wouldn't go through. Sorted that, then

Second, when the bolts were torqued down, the damper locked up completely. Back off 1/4 turn and they freed up. Nothing would persuade them otherwise.

Third, we then examined the base, just to see if something about it was making the housing distort and causing the lock-up. Found that hadn't been machined either. We dressed it flat and with hope in our hearts fitted the dampers back to the car.

And they still locked up.

So we fitted hit&miss recond ones again.

And later, the Frontline kit.


Paul Walbran

when lever arms wear, if they are weak or soft evenly throughout the range of movement, they are good to recon. If they have part of the stroke with no resistance at all they are not so good, possibly u/s. If you hunt around and find a pair in the former state, Peter May will recon your supplied ones, rather than take pot luck with what stock may be available.
David Smith

make your own ones :)

year and a half (about 9000 miles) on mine are as solid as the day I put em on. They are based on the Peter may bits.

For fast driving with wide tyres I would fit my own system again. or at least something triangulatey every time - dad's midget runs standard damping with no play in any of the system and I can't get used to the twist it has under hard braking, it feels unstable to me now I'm used to the better location. IMO the improvement in location from the triangle is greater than the improvement in damping from the telescopics.

http://robsmidget.co.uk/modifications/mechanical/front-suspension
Rob Armstrong

And with the early frontline kit, the pin and bush wears out, and FL don't supply spares for it. Rather they suggest you buy a new kit from them,--- Most of it anyway, and that's almost an arm and leg.

It's one of my jobs this winter, to get a pin and bush made.

Lawrence Slater

This thread was discussed between 01/11/2011 and 03/11/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG Midget and Sprite Technical BBS is active now.