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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Rear Shock Absorbers

rear shock Absorbers (AKA Dampers!)

From another thread: "I think a lot of people say that on the rear, a well sorted lever arm system is the best way to go on a Spridget. Perhaps with panhard rod (is that the right one?)." (M Le Chevalier)

Discuss.


Re. lever arm vs telescopics - can anyone comment as to which is considered to be the best set up for track use given that I will not be fitting a panhard rod or making any other modifications so as not to fall foul of the Roadgoing class regulations for sprints and hillclimbs.

The rules allow shock absorbers to be upgraded so it might be a moot point as to whether telescopics mounted on the same pick up points are an upgrade or a modification.

While uprated lever arms are available, does anyone have any experience of uprating by changing the oil? I have been told that engine oil is an option.

Cheers

Colin
Colin Mee

I just added this on the other thread on the general board

"my rear set up on the frog (apart from a lowering block) is great and being quarter elliptic, it seems to be at least as good, if not better around corners (on fast track days) as midgets with the semi elliptics and the FL rear telescopic kit"
G Lazarus

The rear end is relatively light so lever arms in good condition should do especially if you are using road tyres. I would not use engine oil in them but heavy weight shock absorber fluid. Its available from usual stockists. Its also just as important to make sure all the bushes etc are in good condition or change them for the nylon version. Often just getting the basic set up sound makes a world of difference.
Bob Beaumont

I raced for years on lever arms, albeit in good condition and (sometimes) adjustable.
Dave O'Neill 2

I think the key here which keeps getting mentioned is that the lever arm dampers are in "good condition", which seems to be the trouble getting them that way. I had newly "rebuilt" levers arms on the back of my frogeye and there was a definite float that could be felt which was absent when I fitted telescopics, it felt so much more in control with the telescopics.

The nicest set of levers arm dampers I ever had was on the front of my Austin A40 Farina, no damping to speak of when I bought it even though they seemed to be full of oil, drained and filled with EP90 and all was well. I know I've seen subsequently you shouldn't fill with that as too thick but never had a problem with it. The A40 was fitted with telescopics at the rear as standard, go figure, I assume it was a load thing but then Morris Minors had lever arms at the back IIRC unless the van or pick-up which had telescopics.
David Billington

Though I've changed my rear suspension to coil-overs, I agree that lever-arms are fine if in good condition. If I had not changed my rear suspension, I would have kept the lever-arms.
Nick Nakorn

especially on sharp uphill bends (e.g. Sawbench at Wiscombe) you need a soft rear end and good axle articulation - or an LSD. Stick with the levers.
David Smith

I have a Frontline front end and I would never go back to the lever arms the whole car feels so much more stable under cornering and heavy braking. dampers set on 2 clicks from softest. I fitted the kit after having several poor experiences with exchange lever arms. I have also tried telescopic rear dampers but found a lack of axle articulation caused inner rear wheel lift on sharp corners so went back to lever arms on the rear. I have a standard front anti roll bar, perhaps an upgrade would help, but i dont want to plate and strengthen the mountings.

Mike
Mike J Pearson

David,

I've done Wiscombe on a few occasions, just had to look up which one was Sawbench, I remember it well. That was the corner that made me fit a light ARB to the rear of the car to counter severe understeer on that corner and it had the desired effect, of course the camber change on that corner doesn't help. The car was fitted with rear telescopics which weren't the problem, the rear suspension did have increased travel both in bump and droop over the standard 1/4 elliptic and benefited from the later softer bump stops from the 1/2 elliptic cars.

I do recall a mate mentioning having his car pump down on that hill due to too stiff a damper setting, on a Spax kit IIRC, and when parked in the paddock at the top it regained its normal ride height.
David Billington

Colin

Peter Caldwell gets good reviews for his remanufactured lever arm dampers and his adjustable versions:
http://www.nosimport.com/shoxcatalog.htm

Apparently you can buy them from a UK stockist now (Peter May Engineering?), as well as direct from USA.

Cheers
Mike
M Wood

Adjustable lever arm info:
http://www.sebringsprite.com/shockabsorbers.html
M Wood

My front left lever leaks alot, I use motor cycle fork oil, ... it comes in alot of differant wieghts

I think I use 20w

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Prop

I use 20W motorcycle fork oil; Silkolene if I remember correctly:
http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-798-silkolene-fork-oil-20w-advanced-formula-motorcycle-suspension.aspx

Mike
M Wood

This thread was discussed on 14/01/2015

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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