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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Front end a bit boat like

Hi All,
I have just bought a 1500 78 midget with Rubber bumpers. I know the handling and ride height isnt supposed to be too good on these however. When driving aboave about 50mph the front end is very floaty!!! sorry thats the best way of describing it.
Now I reckon the front suspension needs a rebuild, do I just need new dampers or do i go the whole hog and replace the springs and bushes??

I'm not sure what if anything the previous 11 owners have done.

Cheers
Enz


EF Frangiamore

Hi Enz,
Do the simple tests first:
How does it behave on a "bounce test". Press firmly down on a front wing and release. With good dampers it should just spring back to normal ride hight withou any oscillation. If it bounces around a bit then check / top up the oil in the dampers.

Is there any knocking from the front when driving, which would suggest worn suspension components. If there is, then there are a number of tests which will narrow down where the wear has occurred from which you can assess how much of a rebuild might be necessary.

Guy
Guy Weller

Top off the front shocks/dampers...I, like you, just recently purchased a '78 1500 Midget and I'm learning as I go along.

Mine had the same problem...I topped off the front shocks with standard hydraulic oil aw32...the wallowy feeling went away.

Also, don't overlook the tires...these little fellows are fairly sensitive to tire pressure. When I purchased the car, tire pressures were 40 psi all around and it was all over the road...hit a bump and you'd think it had no bushings left at all. I've since set mine at 24psi front, 28psi rear...it made a huge difference with driveability.

Good luck and enjoy your ride...it looks very nice!

Dave
DL Rhine

Thanks Guys for the swift response I didnt know you could fill up the dampers!!!! all the cars I have had before have all had shocks..
There isnt any knocking from the front at all so it sounds like i just need to top up.
I am on a family holiday at the moment in the Lake District, sounds like im not too far from Guy..

Another quick question
Would you say the colour is Sandglow? it looks to yellowish orange to me to be harvest gold?

Thanks for all your help I'm sure I will be back on here again as I'm just starting to work my way through all the little bits on her.

Cheers
Enz
EF Frangiamore

Hi Enz, colour is Bronze Yellow, same as mine. or others would say baby sick yellow, or just plain mustard :-)
Tarquin

Hi Enz,
So are you in the Lakes with your new car - should I be looking out for you? (I am just outside Kendal)

Guy
Guy Weller

The colour does look very much like Sandglow, but it is difficult to tell without seeing it in the flesh.

Bronze Yellow wasn't an option at that time and neither was Harvest Gold, whereas Sandglow was. Of course, it could have been painted any number of colours over the years.
Dave O'Neill 2

Enz.

Another thing to check with could follow your described symptoms would be the wheel alignment. These little cars are very fussy about toe and I find that almost parallel to 1/6" toe in works well for me. Be sure you don't have any toe out.....

Mark.
M T Boldry

Doesn't look orange enough for Bronze yellow - the finest spridget colour ever to come out of a spraygun ;-)
Dean Smith ('73 RWA)

That looks like Sandglow to me - mine was lidentical to that until I painted it black!
l snowdon

thanks everone I thought it was Sandglow It doesn't look like it has been sprayed any other colours inside the boot or bonnet etc.

Guy,
I don't have the Midget up here unfortunatley I have the whole family with me. We are staying in Carnforth and have been up to the Lakes today and navigated an electric boat around Coniston Lake great watching a 9yr old drive a boat.
Its a very very nice part of the world and the weather hasn't been too bad this week.

I should be back home on Saturday eve I wil try filling the dampers on Sunday and let you know how I get on. Are they hard to fill, any tips? if not I will get the tracking checked.

Thanks all

Enz
EF Frangiamore

Hi, Enz.

The shocks aren't hard to fill. The fill port will be visible when you remove a front wheel - Note the cylindrical bit at the top of the damper body; now note the hex-headed screw on the forward-facing part of that cylinder. That's the port. The recommended method for topping up the damper is to use a plastic syringe with a flexy tube fitted. Be sure to wipe the area thoroughly clean before removing the port and filling. Add oil until it runs over. It's recommended to work the arm up and down to work out any air, so I usually jack the car up under the lower trunnion so I can bounce it. You may be able to get to the fill port by simply steering the wheels out, meaning you can then bounce it more easily.

Best,

-:G:-
Gryf Ketcherside

thanks Gryf
I will give ir a go on Sunday.
Enz
EF Frangiamore

I have tried filling up the shocks not an easy job...
They looked ok with no signs of leakage.
However I have found that most of the bushes look like the origionals and a bit perished.
I am going to get a rebuild kit and see how we go from there.

Thanks for all your help.
-=E
EF Frangiamore

Hey EF,

Make sure you use the red poly bushes, just a hair more expensive...but you wont have to replace them ever agian...the black rubber is good to around 3-5 years tops.

Prop
Prop

This thread was discussed between 10/08/2009 and 15/08/2009

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