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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 shocks

Hi All.
Advice on where to buy some new front shocks. Any body had good or bad ones recently.
Thanks.
s page

I have just had a telephone enquiry re this subject this morning.
Peter Caldwell in Winsconsin at just under £80 each. There is a surcharge of just under £30 which you lose as postage to the US is more expensive for return.
Dial in postage etc and it gets expensive. He will e-mail you with what he does in the recon process.
I have run these on both of my cars for about 3yrs. Initially I recieved two faulty ones which added to the costs.
Rae Davis does adjustable - 14 positions using selected shocks - are you sitting down- £1150 + vat a pair exchange.
If your shocks are not leaking Malcolm Le Chevalire does a refreshing kit of suitable oil and gaskets.

I did have an opportunity to try both new and reconditioned on a counter from a major supplier and rejected all. The shop owner agrred with my finding.
Alan Anstead

No experience of new/refurb suppliers, would go as Alan suggests with a rebuild kit from Chevalier Classics (Malc on this forum). Contact details and info on his rebuild kit in: http://www.mg-cars.info/mg-midget-sprite-technical-bbs/adjustable-valves-for-armstrong-lever-arm-dampers-20200516112326181736.htm

Use a plastic syringe to remove oil - either a vet medicine one from your friendly agricultural suppliers (this kind of thing: https://www.evetdrug.co.uk/medical-supplies/needles-and-syringes/60ml-dosing-syringe?variantsku=100003-A&affiliate=product_feed&utm_source=product_feed&utm_medium=product_feed&utm_campaign=product_feed&gclid=CjwKCAjwu5CDBhB9EiwA0w6sLeFHqbBB0IvzI-l3qv_B5ltDlhQVWPRGw7QaJCW3btJ0bLaD76MGfRoCF3IQAvD_BwE) or similar from your friendly chandlers or grp suppliers (used to measure out resin/hardener).

Then take off the shock and clean it out on your workbench, including inverting it. Fit Malc’s parts. Fill with Silkolene 20 weight motorcycle fork oil. Work carefully by hand before refitting - if necessary remove oil again (if dirty) with your syringe (which you have cleaned or got a new one) and refill.

Fork oil from your friendly local motorbike store, or: https://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-89690-silkolene-sf-20-fork-suspension-fluid.aspx

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

As Alan and Mike say.
If you use Malc's kit want the shockers to be a little bit harder then consider using 30 weight fork oil.
Jeremy MkIII

Thanks for the endorsements everyone!

Been a while since I have done any shock kits, but should still have some stock.

Cheers,
Malc.


Malcolm

I went for a pair of these:




John Payne

Is there a way of repairing a leaking shock? I’ve got a pair of old Peter May ones which I’d like to fit to my Midget but unfortunately one occasionally leaks.

The adjustable ones from my previous post would be great on my road Midget but I just can’t justify the cost of another pair!!
John Payne

Alan,

Why did you have to cover any extra postal costs if Peter Caldwell supplied faulty dampers, I would have thought he should cover that. What was the fault?
David Billington

David

One of each pair, for my two Sprites, leaked shortly after fitting / using.

I stripped and measured the internals, of one, and forwarded the 'video' to Peter Caldwell as proof that mine were leaking, with internal bearings not as described (I had an e-mail explaining what is done to the shocks in remanufacturing), and excessive tolerances.

I wanted a replacement to get my car back on the road quickly so accepted his offer re the replacement.

So far / so good.
Alan Anstead

John, I would love to fit new oilseals to my spare pair of dampers (brownie points for correct term!), but even Dave's monster hydraulic presses could not get the arms off. If the oilseals are not the problem, and just the welch plugs are leaking, you can replace those, as I did. I believe that once the plugs are out you can press the shaft out from that end, but I haven't tried it and again it would need massive pressure.

Les
L B Rose

This thread was discussed between 31/03/2021 and 01/04/2021

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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