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MG MGB Technical - MGB GT Lowered suspension

Hi,
Does anyone have any idea's about reducing the ride height of a rubber bumpered B GT, mine looks as if its on stilts!
How much lower is it advisable to go and how is it done.
Thanks
M.W Read

The Bee Hive, MGOC and others others do lowering kits with all the bits you need and instructions. I have one fitted to my rubber bumpered roadster. It is only dropped about an inch but it improves the handling no end. You can do it yourself but I got my local garage to do it when they did the MOT because I don't have a great deal of room in my garage.

Regards
Mick
Mick Rookes

I lowered my Jubilee a few years back by swapping to Chrome bumper leaf and coil springs. I did, however, have a cracked leaf and a split coil so they needed changing in any case.

I've been told it's possible to change the front crossmember for a Chrome Bumper one and this will also lower the height, though I've not figured out what is different with the geometry of the different crossmember.

An inch on a road car should make enough difference, if you go lower then you can get caught out with Speedbumps or, around here, Potholes in the road.

A
Andrew McGee

those of us who had the original Chrome cars on 165 x 85 tyres still spent a fair amount on replacing the silencers. The rubber ride height was reduced slightly in the 74 changes by the 70 profile tyres but it still looked much higher against the original cars - many of which were by then also on lower profile tyres. If one wants to lower a rubber car, the easiest way is to reduce the profile still further - our cars are on 60 profiles and the V8 has very little clearance.

If you wish to improve the handling - a 1" roll bar (ditch the rear bar) and stiffer bushes on the rear spring shackles will make a very big difference.

FWIW

Roger
R Walker

Thanks for your comments and suggestions, I have another question!!
What is the cause and cure for stiff/heavy steering.
Steering becomes progressivly stiff/tight when turning either right or left and lacks sensitivity feeling 'wooden'.
Thanks in anticipation
Mike
M.W Read

The front suspension design was originally set up for Crossplys which had a different "slip"(?) angle than modern radials. (least I think it is slip).

There are kits available which have a machined wedge which is supposed to correct the castor angle to one better suited for radial tyres. I've got one of these kits but didn't manage to fit it to our Jubilee before the dreaded tinworm got the better of it. They will be fitted to the earlier BGT we are currently on with. So I can't say for definite if they will help the steering weight and feel.

It could however be wear on your steering rack or maybe King Pins. Btw, by my own admission, I'm not an engineer just a keen enthusiast who reads a lot and listens to what the experts say and some of that rubs off on me.

A.
Andrew McGee

I have the castor reduction kit on my 72 BGT, and it really does make it alot lighter than it was prior to being fitted. Brown and Gammons does the best value for money one.

However, yes, there are other reasons why it may be showing those symptoms, and it's worth checking everything out prior to spending any money and time.
Rachel Henderson

To answer a couple of points. The increased front ride height of the rubber bumper models was effected by welding a 1" thick pad on to the top of the crossmember, thus lifting the body up by an inch. If you then lower the car by fitting shorter springs you are reducing the travel of the suspension which seems like a poor idea to me, although lots of people have done it. The increase in the rear ride height was achieved by altering the location point of the front of the leaf spring and also by re-profiling the spring itself.

Stiff steering can be caused by the king pins seizing up - do you grease them regularly? If the car is jacked up with both front wheels hanging free, the steering should be light to turn and should move lock to lock without any resistance. Does yours?

The caster reduction wedges are not a complete answer IMO. I put them on my car and really couldn't tell the difference. You have to come to terms with the fact that what you have is a 50+ year old design. Modern tyres are much grippier as Andrew said, and this just makes it worse. Unless you are prepared to spend 1300 on the EZ power steering (which I have just done), you have to adjust to the idea that it is a heavy car to steer at low speeds, although it should be fine cruising on main roads. Oh, and don't be tempted to fit a very small steering wheel. 15" is a good size for the MGB.
Mike Howlett

Every now and again I get a garage to grease the front suspension using an air gun - and a lot more pressure that I can get with my grease gun - the difference is amazing. This is not necessary every time, but well worth it periodically.

I never got my rubber bumper MGB GT handling anything like my early MGB. If I were doing it again I would fit a chrome bumper front cross member and swap everything but the springs from the rubber bumper one. For springs I would use chrome bumper GT. I would use V8 bushes too.

At the back I think the height is increased using plates welded to the car where the back of the rear springs fit - much more difficult to replace, so I would ask a well respected mg specialist for advice. Once lowered I would not use a rear anti roll bar or telescopic shock absorbers.

With money no object I would forget the rear axle all together and fit a Hoyle IRS!

John.
John Prewer

When you try the steering with the car jacked up dont let the end stops be whacked by a rapidly turning rack they will be damaged. It should spin from lock to lock when you push it with th tip of afinger.
Stan Best

This thread was discussed between 20/09/2012 and 29/09/2012

MG MGB Technical index

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