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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Lowering (again...) but with a twist.

Hi all

My front is too high. Is there an thickness of spacer for given ride height drop? Or is trial and error an accepted method. I was thinking of making a large plate that encompasses all 4 bolts rather than individual columns / stacks of washers.

In other news, it's lower on one side, even worse with captain fatty at the helm. Is it silly to lower one side more to account for this - so it sits level with me in it. My landy has sided springs to cope with el fatto and the fact that most of the gearbox and fuel tank is on that side.

Not sure I'd want one rear spring harder on a car that would be driven fast, and also don't want to set up a twist on it that might arise from one side being lower...

guess I could fit a 1500 spring on one side but I'm not sure I like the 'engineering feel' of that...

any thoughts?
Rob Armstrong

Apologies for being rude, but just how fat are you?
Brad 1380

17 stone and 6'6 :) seems to me that it's a bit tilty with me in it. Might just be the 'fantastic quality' springs I have on the back saggging again....
Rob Armstrong

First you need to establish why it is lower on one side.

Try swapping rear springs from one side to the other to see if it alters the lean.

As for the front, lowering the spring pan gives a 1:2 reduction in ride height - i.e. lowering the spring pan by 1/2" reduces the ride height by 1".
Dave O'Neill 2

Pretty much as Dave says, good quality rear springs are available but not cheaply.
Brad 1380

Like Dave and Brad say: good rearsprings.
Weird enough problems at the frontend can be caused by the rearsprings.
My midget hardly "drops" when there is just the driver in.
Ive got (good)1500 rearsprings and lowered 400lbs springs at the front.
Not to high ridehight but still practical enough with the 1001 speedramps in my area.


Would defenetly not reccomend lower one side more then the other.




Arie de Best

I like the idea of the plate to go under the spring pan as an improvement of the stacks of washers idea that is commonly used. But undoubtedly fitting lowered and stiffer springs would be the better way to do this.
As for adjusting an unequal ride height I think there is a logic to follow.
First check is to see what it is that you are measuring. If it is to the wheel arch height be aware that as the wings are bolt-on, they don't make a very reliable datum for comparison. You are better checking the ground clearance from the chassis rails.
You can then make a small adjustment with washers (or your fabricated plates) but I would keep that to a minimum. Lowering won't increase the spring rate, but will have an effect on the camber angle.
As for lowering the near-side to compensate for add load (!)on the driver's side, the lowered corner won't become stiffer so it shouldn't effect handling and it might raise the rear o/side, which would also help it sit more level.
The other solution would be to loose some weight. The car will go faster!
Guy

17 stone at 6 foot six isn't really trying, sounds slim to me

6 foot six, can you put the roof up and still get in

read somewhere possibly here about these guys making proper quality springs, if they're still going I'll give them a try at my next change;

Brost Forge Motorspring Service
London Holloway Spring Manufacturers & Distributors
Brost Forge Motorspring Service

Brost Forge Motorspring Service
149 Roman Way
Holloway
Islington
London N7 8XH
Telephone:
0207 6072311
Nigel Atkins

measuring it gives the driver's side 2cm lower than the passenger on both front and back. I'm sure it's the back springs that're different and just affecting the front. Guess this weekend's caper is to swap the rear springs and see if that helps. Apparently the drivers one can go flat with the torque reaction form the engine as well (according to the archives)

I can get in with the roof on although I have been informed it is amusing to watch me get out...

I'll check out those better springs as well, and maybe eat less pies.
Rob Armstrong

This thread was discussed between 11/03/2011 and 12/03/2011

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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