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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Frontline front end fitting

I've just stumped up and bought a Frontline front suspension kit, an 11/16 ARB, 340lb -1" springs and the recommended bushes to suit my 1968 1275 Sprite IV. Fitting seems to be fairly straightforward according to the instructions. I overhauled the standard set up last year so I'm reasonably confident of the fasteners coming undone.
Is there anything that I should keep an eye out for or do whilst I've got the front end in bits?
The rear end is standard apart from a home brewed rear damper arrangement and one year old, slightly saggy springs with polybushes.

Regards
Mark
M Crossley

Beef up the anti roll bar mounts as they ripped off on mine when i upgraded the anti roll bar.
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

Brad is absolutly correct...you want to weld up and reinforce the anti roll bar mounts...they are just tack welded on.

Also, you may want to follow the current (below)thread on the gen. midget side, for street driving I cant see an issue, but hard spirited driving ...eeehhh hard to say.

(got a way with that one)

prop
Prop

You could fit 9" brakes at the same time, it dosn't have to be expensive.

Prop,
i have your anti tramp pics, just need to find the usb cable to get them off the camera,

cheers
Brad
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

Mark - I've done just the same as you, and I'm waiting for my kingpins to come back from the bloke who's got the reamer, before I finally put it together.

One thing I'd say is, don't drill the fourth hole until you've got the whole assembly more or less together. Because the holes in the Frontline plate allow quite a lot of play (i.e. they're oversize), and I'd hate to drill it now, and then find that the top arm and the trunnion don't quite meet.

Otherwise, everything's beeen straightforward. I needed a few washers to avoid stressing the wishbone when tightening the bolts on the bottom 'axle', but nothing too serious.

Good luck, and don't be coy about asking again, if something perplexes you.
Nick

No worries Brad,

Ill just keep hassling you till you post them...LOL,

Ive been looking at these for awhile (pic below), but wanting a few other examples of what is possiable...as I said, Im in no hurry, Im not doig anything to the rear until middle of next year.


thanks brad

prop


Prop

Sorry brad

I meant to also add...Im not overly wild by the above photo set up...what im wanting is a combo of the above photo with the control arms of the 1/4 ellipitic set-up from the early midgets...that way I can control both the wind up rotating forces of the axle as well as any back and forth forces of movement of the rear axle...So thats why im on the look out for any Pics. of rear end suspension set ups.

The only thing I can come up with is a triangle shape cage that attaches by bushings to the top and bottom of the axle then the 3rd tip of the triangle is pointed forward and is bushed to the floor pan of the car...workable, and will handle the 2 above forces but ugly

Prop
Prop

Light and efficient method of fitting a panhard and anti-tramp.


rob multi-sheds thomas

Nice set up, any photos of it installed?
Brad (Sprite IV 1380)

Rob talk to us. Whats the make?

How does it fit and how does it improve the handling?

Bas
Bas Timmermans

It is a Rob Thomas bring-beer-and-I'll-lathe-it-up-for-you special. No longer available due to my back not being strong enough to carry slabs of San Miguel through the customs haul anymore.

Take a standard Midget bottom bracket and drill a block of ally to the same dimensions with a step for the socket to tighten the U-bolts.

I sold it to someone on here long ago. I think he did something at Prescott as an instructor? He also borrowed my 10.25 inch front brake kit to make a copy of it and still has the bearings and spacers out of it which means I can't use it. :o(

How about this one? Fairly light car!


rob multi-sheds thomas

This one worked well for a stupidly low road car but I'm sure that a watts/mumford would've been better and a better arangement for anti-tramp could've improved things. It weighed so little that I never seemed to have trouble.

My current road Midget (the white Lenham) has poly bushes at each end of the springs and solid mounts for the spring to axle joint. I felt it was a good compromise of NVH and rigidity.


rob multi-sheds thomas

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

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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