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MG MGA - Panhard Rod

Anyone know of a panhard rod kit for an MGA? I know a chassid shop can make one up, but was curious if a kit existed. Thanks
ASH Andrew

Never seen an MGA kit.

Had to have one made for my MGB racer many years ago.
I got one from a kit car and modified it to suit, fitting one end to the MGB boot floor.

This would not be possible on an MGA, or at least not such as great idea when I'd on a chassis.

Keep me posted if you find one, or have some photo's of how you did it.

Cheers <MARK>
Mark Hester

Check out mgbmga.com it references panhard rod kits for the B but I'm sure you could make one work with an A.

May I ask why you need a panhard rod?

John
JohnB

None available that I know of. Harder to implement in an MGA as you need to weld a drop mount on the frame and it has to be engineered to be strong enough. You tend not to get kits unless it is a pretty simple bolt-on sort of operation.

I had to (carefully) design one for my race car. You really shouldn't need one anyway unless you are competing with the car.

I actually prefer a Watts link, but given my reluctance to replace the stock fuel tank with a fuel cell, there really isn't enough room to mount the required pivot point on the axle.
Bill Spohn

Go to www.jegs.com and you'll find weld-in universal panhard rods with universal brackets. That's what I used in my B and it worked out great with a little creative designing. For only $80 you can't really go wrong.
Jeff Schlemmer

thank you all for the great info. It is a vintage race car, and i am in the process of replacing the leaf springs,shocks, and trying to make a few small improvements without reinventing the wheel. Jeggs sounds like a plan.
ASH Andrew

Andrew,
You might want to consider the composite rear springs also.
http://www.mgbmga.com/tech/mgb4.htm
I think they are special order for MGA's though.
Mark Hester

Also,
You might get some idea's from their MGB Panard rod kit.

http://www.mgbmga.com/tech/mgb15.htm

I would email them and ask if they have any experience with fitting this kit on an MGA, since they seem to cater for MGA's also.

Cheers <MARK>
Mark Hester

The MGB and MGA are different kettles of fish when it comes to Panhard installation. We looked at the MGB method which relies on installation of a bracket on the trunk floor, which drops down handily near the rear end. You need stiffening plates inside for the trunk wall to take the considerable force generated in any Panhard.

In the MGA, no such handy strong sheet metal presents itself and welding to the frame is the only/best way to do it. Do this badly and all you'll get will be a ripped frame and a bent mount!.

You may want to do what I did and have more than one hole in the frame mount so that you can attach the bar in such a way as to be more or less level at ride height. The other attachent at the opposite side is a fairly easy modification of the steel bracket that the stock shock arm bolts to - just weld on another ear with a hole in it. The rod itself can be made from a length of tubing with threaded inserts welded in to take suitable rod ends, and is thus easily adjustable for length.

The same sort of work can also be used to add traction bars to the car.
Bill Spohn

Do not, I repeat, do not put a panard rod on an A. If the susupension is set up correctly, there is not reason to have one. I purchased a vintage racer that had one installed, tested it, took it off, tested again and the car was much better without. And I also found due to the poor installation of the connecting bracket to the banjo rearend, the darn thing was warped 2 degrees due to heat.
skip

Oh Yea,
If you install MGB rear leaf springs with the larger front diameter hole, this helps marginally with the sideways forces exerted on the leaf springs, so thus helps reduce the need for a Panard Rod.
But I believe you can't just bolt them in, without getting them reset as they have an extra leaf from memory.

Cheers <MARK>
Mark Hester

Skip, the fact that you had a poor experience with a badly installed Panhard rod doesn't mean that they are a bad idea. If they are properly implemented they are a very good idea.

I have seen many poor installations with short rods that only go half way across the diff casing and as you had, poorly engineered brackets.

The bars should go as far across the car as possible, attaching to one lower spring plate and on the other side to a bracket welded to the frame in about the same lateral location.

Unfortunately there is very little room between the gas tank and the diff on an MGA, and I don't think you could install a Watts link in the available space. That arrangement has the advantage that the axle doesn't move sideways as it goes up and down (which is does a little with a full width Panhard and a lot with a short one). If you switch to a fuel cell, there would be room for a Watts and I'd commend it to you.
Bill Spohn

This thread was discussed between 26/12/2005 and 04/01/2006

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This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.