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 - Rear Springs

Has anyone tried 1500 springs on a 1275 midget. I have
had my mk 111 for 30 years, and am on its 2nd set of
springs. However the rear does look tired and the arches
sit low on the wheels. My last set of springs were
'uprated' but they are unavailable now. I was thinking
the 1500 ones would perk up the back! Maybe too much?
R Baillie

R

your desribing a growing and common problem, try touching base with Arie De best, he is here all the time. he has an OLD school blacksmith kind of guy (so old he helped noah chualk the ark as a lad) but the guy knows how to work a forge and has re-done several leaf springs, I know Arie was really happy with his work. So thats an option

the other thing you might do is google spring helpes, saaging leaf helpers, ect ect, there are many designs that can attach to the leafs and bring them back to life

I know some here have talked about adding a leaf to the assembly

or just accept you will need to buy new springs every 3 years like clock work

there certianly getting worse not better

Prop
Prop

posted elsewhere on here, old skool as the kids say

Brost Forge Motorspring ServiceLondon Holloway Spring Manufacturers & Distributors.
Brost Forge Motorspring Service

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

here are some links to various leaf spring helpers I googled


http://www.jcwhitney.com/leaf-spring-helpers/p2005985.jcwx?skuId=233630&TID=8014524FT4&zmam=15972153&zmas=21&zmac=141&zmap=875964#

http://auto.sears.com/ROADMASTER-ACTIVE-SUSPENSION-KITS/Product.htm?catalogId=10623&N=600024938&productId=2005972

http://auto.sears.com/HELLWIG-LOADPRO-PROGRESSIVE-RATE-HELPER-SPRINGS/Product.htm?catalogId=10623&N=600024938&productId=2005980

http://auto.sears.com/SUPERSPRINGS-/Product.htm?catalogId=10623&N=600024938&productId=2015525
Prop

Prop, you're googling when you should be putting your engine back together.

I've just returned from 10 days holiday with non-functioning mobile broadband and I was expecting to see that your engine was finished!
Dave O'Neill 2

I know dave, I hear ya, and a little depressed I didnt get to where I wanted to be

I screwed up last week... with some un-certianty I was battleing over. But im thinking we are back on track this week.


for what its worth i did get 1 set of rings for 1 piston re-gapped


Prop
Prop

As stated abobe most places have a psring manufacturer in their areas. The one near me is Brigg Springs in Lincolnshire and the owner is a somewhat enthusiast and has Land Rovers.

On my MGA I wanted the car to sit higher for classic rallying so he reprofiled my existing springs and added a leaf to make them stiffer. Recently I had him do exactly the same with my 1275 Midget It does tend to now sit a little high but it suits me and now I am running on the suspension and not the bump stops.
Bob Turbo Midget England

When I rebuilt my '73 I used 1500 rear springs and lowering blocks to get the ride height back to normal. Worked pretty good, helped stiffen the ride a bit without raising the car.
Bill Young

Just a question but what's wrong with the standard 1275 springs that Moss or the MGOC sell?

Graeme (soon to be in need of new springs myself)
graeme jackson

From my point of view over the last 20 years or so I have had 3 pairs of "cheap" springs, none of which have supported my car. So each time even from new the car appeared to be on its knees. LOL

Never used any from MGOC and never would but they only buy from the same sources as every other supplier so they will be no different except they would be more expensive.

My man at Brigg used to make springs for cars (leaf springs) but stopped many years ago when nobody was prepared to buy original quality any more and so all the retailers began supplying second rate springs at "bargain" prices!! We really are a mindless mob!

By the way R.B. if you are unaware where your local manufacturer is ask a haulier where they buy their springs from.
Bob Turbo Midget England

Unless they've changed

- and they may well have and I hope they have as mine are only 10 months old -

they don't last long before they start sagging or break

ETA: I've answered too late again

PS most Midget owner want "cheap" parts
Nigel Atkins

I use 1500 springs on my 1275, but only because I had some good old ones, they're cut down to near 1275 lengths and therefore ride height. I would imagine new 1500 springs are the same rubbish as new 1275 springs.
Paul MkIMkIV

>>>>PS most Midget owner want "cheap" parts<<<<<

Im not sure about that.

Frontline, barry kign, peter cardwell, Peter burguss, peter may, are all still in business...and they dont sell cheap china made knock off parts.

Im glad they have made the decisions they have made...there quality has benifited us all in some way weather we are buyers or not

But Im certianly not above a SALE for buying good parts to save money!
Prop

I know this might be herasy but I put parabolic springs and Gaz
shocks on the wifes B and they have been good even on track days.
do the do parabolic springs for MIDGETS? pete K
P C Knightley

I know this might be herasy but I put parabolic springs and Gaz
shocks on the wifes B and they have been good even on track days.
do the do parabolic springs for MIDGETS? pete K
P C Knightley

hey PC

got a link... Im not sure what parabolic springs are
Prop

Prop
- not all "cheap" parts are sold for low prices and/or come from China

not only most Midget owners but most low value classic car owners want "cheap" parts

that means others suffer and have to buy three of the same item at £10 a piece to find one that works out of the three rather than one good one at £20

P C
- I've not seen them advertised for Midgets, more B owners are prepared to spend more money on their cars
Nigel Atkins

Prop

see item 2 here

http://www.mgocspares.co.uk/acatalog/MGOC_Spares_REAR__MGB__41.html#l2
Nigel Atkins

Now that PC is one interesting idea...Im looking into that

http://www.parabolicspring.com/parabolic.htm


WHAT DRaw backs are there It seems like several off the top of my head like instability from side to side and a faster wear on any rubber bushings, maybe even an ovaling out on the central single bolt location at the axle...but im just guessing at that based on the photos...I cant imgin it would be hard to do with the existing spings, just use the red poly bushings that go between the axle and the leaf spring 3 for each leaf...still that just seems scary of a DIY job.

what a great concept
Prop

I cant say your wrong nigal, you have a point!

I just hope the good vendors can hang on...im the type that buys used work shoes and duck tapes card board inside the soles so I can spend money on good midget parts...lol

So I like to think there are some of use still out there that can appericate high quality parts...

Now my work truck that a horse of a whole nother color...i like cheap china parts for it. and bailing wire, and duck tape and JB weld, and chewing gum, and panty hose...ect ect.
Prop

Panty hose eh Prop. Hmmmm. You wouldn't be "outing" yourself as a transvestite would you?

Bernie.
b higginson

I hope the good vendors can carry on too as you only loose money with bad vendors or poor quality parts

I've found to my very great cost that it takes traders a very long to lose a good reputation

sometimes a change of ownership or management can turn a company bad other times their good reputation was undeserved anyway

back to springs

in my link the parabolic spring kit is about twice the price of the standard

also I've used full kits of yellow polybushes but found the Super-Flex better to my personal liking, driving style and experience
Nigel Atkins

The problem with Spridgets is the width of the spring. It is only a narrow spring and so the steel used in the parabolic items for other classic is too wide and companies will not roll narrow stuff just for a few Spridgets.

Not sure Prop is right about a yea ago someone on this board offered quality springs at a quality price. How many ordered a set? very few to my knowledge, guess that says it all!
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

How much higher would the 1500 springs make the rear of the car? The idea is that as they get tired they would still make the car look ok and not saggy. Should sag
less anyway with the extra leaf. Good idea about the lowering kit. Didn't the springs go straight in as a replacement? ( Paul in Cumbria)
R Baillie

I lopped several of the leaves down to somewhere near 1275 spring lengths, so that they didn't sit at 1500 height, they are fitted with the old lowering blocks as front is lowered, They would obviously bolt straight in without mods.

I used them because I had them, they were old stock and I hoped of better quality than current replacements. They're sozzled in grease and then denso taped to aid longevity. They've not sagged much yet....
Paul MkIMkIV

Re Moss etc springs:

Two or three or four years ago there was a lot of rubbish spring steel, resulted in a lot of warranty claims. Same was true for MGB's. On top of that there were things like big variations in set, variations in the position of the centre bolt (made the rear axle angled across the car) and other horrors.

This appears to have resolved itself now, and the quality of the springs is very much better.

I'd be wary about fitting the stiffer springs to the rear, it will increase weight transfer at the rear and hence oversteer. The balance of the car will change as a result. 1500 had a heavier engine, which would have induced underteer all other things being equal so the heavier springs at the rear would bring it back to neutral. The 1275 with a lighter engine could be a different proposition.



Paul Walbran

I had to use 1500 springs to restore original ride height to my 1971 Midget. After several months, the car sagged again so I added a leaf from the old set. Proper ride height was again restored and has been stable for several years now.
Glenn Mallory

This thread was discussed between 06/09/2010 and 11/09/2010

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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