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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - rear gas shocks

I have moved around quite a bit in the last few years and now am finaly starting to get my midget running again. I have a gas shock kit for the rear but somehow in the moves the directions were lost and some of the hardware. I have the plates and the shocks but I am looking for a photo to see how it should be installed. The kit has two triangular plates and I've figured out generaly how they should bolt on.

Anyone got some photos of a gas shock kit installed on the rear of their Midget?

-stefan
Stefan

Try this site. It is on a B, but it's basically the same.

http://www.teglerizer.com/mgstuff/tubeshocks.htm

The rest of this site is a fantastic resource, especially the spitfire section for 1500 owners.

Lee
Lee Fox

Just an observation, but is placing the shocks on a diagonal such as the Spax installation (and as shown on the link for an MGB), the best way for a Midget? Should they not be upright?
Neil (K series)

Stefan,

If it is a spax kit the spring plates are swapped side for side and installed upside down i.e shock tube bolts hang below plate to increase stroke of shocks.

HTH - I've got instructions somewhere - will did out if you need them but its fairly straight forward.

I keep the rears soft - I.E hav'nt wound up the adjusters.

Neil,
you are correct they would likely be better upright for maximum efficiency but are more reliable than leaking poorly reconned levers IMO.

R.
richard boobier

I seem to remember measuring an angle fitted plate like that some years ago, still got the drawings somewhere.

When the shocks are fitted like the Spax ones they actually hardly move at all due to it allowing rotation rather than telescoping, b..... nearly no damping action at all

Maybe the Spaxes don't need much "in and out" to be effective, but not my ideal set up. My Mini front shocks that are fitted to the rear axle of my car damp perfectly well vertically.

But so do the normal lever arms, I wouldn't swap again if I hadn't already done it. It gives very marginal improvement and it is difficult to get the correct axle movement when jacking up the car.
bill sdgpm

I have only just bought my first Midget today having been a long time fan of the B. I fitted the Spax shock to the rear and found it handled just fine. What I didn't realize is that I had got used to the car with its weak rear Arm Shocks. I then drove a friends newly fitted standard shocked GT and found the ride a lot better. It was just as good at holding on to the back as the Spax. I would seriously look at a new pair of genuine shocks first as they work really well
N Sayle

In my experience the problem with the Spax geometry is that when the car is loaded (passenger and a boot full of luggage for a trip) and sitting lower on its suspension as a result, the angle the Spax are on becomes quite unfavourable and loses a lot of damping action over larger bumps - just when it is needed.
Paul Walbran

This thread was discussed between 06/03/2010 and 12/03/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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