MG-Cars.net

Welcome to our resource for MG Car Information.

Recommendations

Parts

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 - Frontline rear too hard

I have replaced the rear lever arms with the Frontline conversion. The car feels more secure on the road but I find the AVO's far too hard for my pld bones even on the lowest setting. Can anyone recommend softer dampers?
W Clough

Can't you adjust them?

A
Anthony Cutler

Thanks Anthony but as I said I have them on the lowest settings already. Anthing higher and it's like a skateboard. Probably good for those who have track days.
W Clough

How is the front suspention?

It might just seem to hard if the front is soft.
And you can play with tyre pressures
Onno K

If you have no joy in setting up the suspension to your liking, then call AVO direct, talk to Nigel, as all of their dampers are rebuildable and can be re valved for a softer damper rate.

Jonathon
J L HEAP

as Onno says

it'll cost you to revalve

something doesn't seem right here I have them on front and rear, the rear replaced the Spax damper kit

I have my tyres (+2 psi over Handbook) at 24 front 26 rear, even a couple more psi makes the ride too hard for me

have you replaced any other suspension parts?

the AVOs have 14 not so easy to feel click stops from full soft to full hard

are you sure you've fitted them correctly on the brackets?

have you the correct brackets (1098/1275 or 1500)?

are you hitting the bump stops?

my car is a 1275, here's a photo (note the two fixing holes on the bracket)

this also reminds me - dont let your adjuster get covered in muck like this put some (duck) grease round to keep water and muck out so that it can be adjusted later if required without cleaning and lubing first


Nigel Atkins

this photo is better - same damper and bracket after clean up and back from repair at AVO

1973 1275 car

ETA: in last post I meant have you got thev correxct brackets and dampers for your model?


Nigel Atkins

Hey Nigel, great last pic that.

Can you also post a pic of the Avo top mount (rears)?
Lawrence Slater

Lawrence
The top mount is where the check strap used to be.
So no special brackets there
Onno K

i have the conversion and although i havent driven it yet i know its going to be a boneshaker ! i press down on the bcak of the car and the garage floor moves !
p bentley

Thanks Onno, that makes for a pretty easy conversion then.
Lawrence Slater

any setting around or above 6 clicks from softest is very firm but running on 2 or 3 shouldn't be a bone shaker in my experience but it does depend on other things like 'hardness' of bushes, type of springs and there fitting, the model and size of tyres, tyre pressure

or the dampers are not as mine are in build or fit

Lawrence,
its as Onno has put but I could try taking a few photos by just poking the camera under there and using flash

might as well put up the last photo


Nigel Atkins

Been there done that (albeit with the Moss angled conversion). Now I glide around on NEW levers arms. Sorted.
Jeremy Cogman

I quite agree about getting good quality new LA dampers

but as W Clough (are you still there?) has already spent quite a reasonable sum on these I think it should be investigated why things feel too hard even on the lowest setting as it might not be down to the dampers (or dampers alone)
Nigel Atkins

I recently bought a car that Frontline had charged the owner 300 pounds to convert to rear teles.
As soon as I drove it I realised the rear was too stiff but I was amazed when I got under to sort the problem.
For one thing the AVOs were on the softest setting so I couldn't go softer. Then I pulled the shocks off and measured travel and found there was only 3/4" bump before the shock bottomed. In fact, after only 5000 miles one shock was already scrap and leaking.
I welded new bottom brackets on the diff and fitted the shortest shock I could find and they were KYB adjustable, gas filled, Mini classic fronts.
I have them on the second softest setting for track work and softest for touring.
Sorted.
Frontline's workmanship throughout this car is pitiful.
Bob.


R Somerville

Car looks great though!
Onno K

Bob,

don't get me going on the workmanship of the l*ing b*stards 'specialist experts'

oh you've got me blood boiling now

. . .

and relaxxx

mine just a road going car and I don't find the rerar too stiff but it depends on the other elements too, springs, bushes, tyres, ride heght, ect.
Nigel Atkins


Hi helpers. Yes I am still here and so is the hard ride. I have been quiet as I have been working on another car and also had the midget off the road for engine overhaul. From the replies so far am I correct in thinking that mini front dampers will fit and may soften the ride. I would like to cure this problem before we take the Midget on a trip to France. If mini fronts will fit should I use just standard units?
Thanks as alway
Walter
W Clough

Std units are the softest.
But new lever arm shocks will be softer.....
Onno K

Is that my grill Bob (ebay)? As Onno said, the car looks great, are those 14" wheels you're running? And do you mind if I ask where you got the roll bar and if it is CAMs certified?

Cheers,

Andrew.
Andrew F

Top mount photo.
http://www.spritespot.com/gallery/toomanyspridgets/len1

r thomas

I'm a bit confused with that as Onno put with the FL rear kit >>The top mount is where the check strap used to be<<
on the (spit) FL kit I have the check strap is removed and the top mount that used to have the check strap now has the top of the damper located there and the damper acts as a check strap

Walter,
as I have the rear (and front) kits I know on the lowest setting my car isn't too hard, firmer yes but not too hard, few click up yes they start to get too hard

I wonder if your rear dampers are fitted correctly as the fitting instructions are not very clear I feel

or is it that you have hard bushes fitted and/or hard tyres and/or set them at well above regular pressure - or a combination of all

or have other suspension changes or add ons?
Nigel Atkins

Speak to Avo

You will find that over the years they have done a number of different setups for Frontline, each time getting softer. I had some old frontline dampers and they were aweful. get them re-valved and go from there. Cost me £15 per damper so not too bad.
Mark Turner

Thanks guys. I do not have any other suspension mods. I run on recommended pressures of 22 and 24. I did have the dampers in the wrong holes originally but after speaking to FL I now have them correct but still too choppy. I have just put 4 new tyres on but not been out yet as I am just finishing off underneath after an engine refurb and underseal removal and repaint. I will keep you informed in case it helps anyone else. If the tyres have made no difference I will try some standard mini fronts. I may be able to borrow some. If this fails I will consider revalving. Thanks again. Walter
W Clough

I'd be very surprised if the new tyres don't feel better all round even if they don't cure your problem

take it easy on new tyres for a start (50-200 miles) and check the torque on your wheel nuts after about 30 miles

check the U-bolts that hold the springs to axle are all tight, tighten each U-bolt evenly before moving on to the next
Nigel Atkins

Here's a quick update after speaking to Frontline. They now say that the bottom ferrule of the damper should be on the lower hole on a 1972 Midget. This is where I had it originally before being advised by them that it should be on the upper hole. They have also said that mini front dampers won't fit. If I still don't like the harshness of the ride it looks like revalving.
W Clough

what's the difference between a 72 and 73 then, IIRC their fitting instructions refer to measurement not model years

have a look at the photos I posted earlier - they done the installation on mine

if you can hear the lips moving it's probably lies
Nigel Atkins

Following Nigel's response I got back to FL again this morning and spoke to Ed. I pointed out that I had received conflicting advice from FL as to the bottom damper mounting hole to be used. He confirmed that it is not so much the model year but whether the height as been lowered. He said that if lowered the damper could bottom out on the stop if the upper hole was used. The lower hole is better if fully loaded. What was of more interest to me was he confirmed that the ride quality would not be affected whichever hole was used as long as it wasn't bottoming out.
W Clough

Walter,
sounds like you had a worm squirming

unfortunately I don't have a copy of their fitting instructions to scan and post here for you but which hole you used on the bracket was based on measurement not model year

originally I think the brackets were shallower and only had the one hole anyway (or the brackets were reused)

as Mark put it seems FL used different set ups over the years (so much for pre-product development)

mine were fitted in 2009 and originally I ran them at 4 or 5 clicks from softest and the weren't too hard with the suspension I had then, but it does depend on what you want and are used to

as Bob Somerville put >>Frontline's workmanship {throughout this car} is pitiful.<<
I'll second that and unfortunately we're not alone in finding this
Nigel Atkins

ETA: >>The lower hole is better if fully loaded.<<

previously my car was lower* and when it was fully loaded with the two of us and all our luggage the dampers did not bottom out with the dampers fitted to the top holes - and we're not lightweights




*another lie from the 'specialist' about how much lower their kit would make my car
Nigel Atkins

Hi all. I have finally got round to reinstalling the lever arms using new drop links and check straps. The ride is superb. Why did I ever bother? Well I know why because a well known MG centre said it was the best mod I could do. Maybe for track but not for touring in my opinion. I have hung on to the FL conversion in case some time in the future I get them softened.
W Clough

I have heard that said about the B. That teles are great. Maybe said "specialist" assumed the same for Midgets (not that it is anyway an excuse!)

A lot of folk on here say LA on the back are the way to go.

Malcolm
M Le Chevalier

Could be the "specialist" thought the car was one of the rare and elusive...

"MGB midget"

It happens

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

After asking on here, I was pointed at Stevson Motors in Brum, he rebuilt my LA dampers and uprated them slightly, me and GF spent 4 hours on Sunday bimbling around Warwickshire in the Sun - the ride, was perfect.

I'd like a go in a tele shocked car to compare, but it would take a lot to get me to swop from the LA dampers.
Malc Gilliver

Malc, if you were nearer I'd take you out in mine, I don't find it too hard but I do have all four dampers set very soft on their settings and I am used to and prefer slightly firmer cars but not jarringly so

of course there are many variables to take into consideration, just by changing my tyres I had to decrease the pressure on all four tyres by 2psi and to soften the dampers by a couple of clicks (out of 14)

then there's the bushing, springs, maintenance, etc., etc.

when I got my Midget it had LA on the front and Spax upright on the rear, I think the Avos are better than the Spax on the rear, it's been so long since I've driven a Spridget with LA on the rear I can't remember how they feel but I'm sure if the LA were in good condition they would perform well just that there are so many poor quality reconditioned units about
Nigel Atkins

I think as Nigel says the biggest issue with LA dampers is the poor quality of many reconditioned dampers. When I fitted telescopic dampers to the rear of mine the difference was immediately evident and the slight floating caused by free play in the LA dampers was gone. I wouldn't go back to LA although it would be interesting to try the Peter Caldwell units back to back with telescopics. The poor quality of recons lead me to design a replacement for the front LA dampers years ago but in fairness to LA dampers my Austin A40 Farina had an excellent set and I felt no need to change them just added thicker oil to get to to perform some damping.
David Billington

This thread was discussed between 21/10/2012 and 03/04/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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