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 MGB Technical - Moss Coil-over conversion

I’m considering the Moss Coil-over conversion for the front lever-arm/damper, due to my original lever-arm being unserviceable and several ‘new’ replacement units also being unserviceable! Anyway, I can’t look in the archives ‘cos the thought police on my company network wont let me log-in, so any advice would be of great help. Firstly is it up to the job? Ie made to a good standard? Secondly does it improve the ride/handling?
MG Mike

Look at the setup by Hoyle Engineering. They come highly recommended.
Frank

I've had the Moss coil over on my B for about 9 years now. Made a big diffence in the ride. Much less wagon feeling. Excellent unit. Down side is the price. Also I'm wondering what I'm going to do when it comes time to replace the gas shocks. If I had it to do again I would send the levers out to be rebuilt as I did on my 54 TF.

LaVerne
LaVerne

Can't speak for the coil-over, but I can second the comment on lever arms. The PO fitted gas dampers to the rear of my V8. One failed after a few thousand miles and I had to replace both at about 120 quid. They were always rock-hard on anything but the softest setting, but just lately I've felt they could do with stiffening up a bit and decided to make use of the adjuster. Of course after several years they have siezed. I would never replace them with tubulars again but will refit lever-arms, possibly before these have failed if the bouncing gets any worse, after that only having to shell-out about 12 quid if one fails. I have driven V8's with and without lever arms, tubulars, and the Ron Hopkinson rear anti-roll bar and I can say that the dampers make no difference at all but the rear ARB does make a very noticeable difference.
Paul Hunt 2

That is a very expensive setup and in all honesty I can't see spending that kinda money just for the suspension unless you can easily afford it.
Mike MaGee

Another thread elsewhere has someone with a Moss coil-over finding the steering very heavy. One of the recommendations was to go to an even more expensive setup! Can't say as I'd be keen on throwing even more good money after bad.
Paul Hunt 2

I would support these comments 100%. I had Spaxs on the rear, they were noisy, adjuster seized and far too hard. I replaced these with uprated lever arms and had no more problems. I'm surprised that you are having trouble Mike as my experience of recon lever arms from MGB Hive at least has been fine. As Paul says they are cheap, easily fitted and provide the best compromise in my opinion. Just remember that all these other manufacturers have to produce and then peddle their products to stay in business but few of them are as good as the originals.
Iain MacKintosh

I've owned several B's over the years. Some with good shocks and some with bad. The Moss set up does not affect the steering what so ever. It does keep the suspension from bottoming out across things like pot holes and railroad tracks that the Armstrongs could never do. The car will lose the sporty (rough) ride unless you opt for the track rate springs. Handling is still excellent but with a much smoother and controlled ride. You can adjust both ride height and dampening which combined with altering tyre pressures can either be a lot of fun or a nightmare setting up depending on your perspective. I think it is an excellent kit but as I said earlier if I were to do it again I would have sent the levers out to be rebuilt. Much less money and the rebuilding service I used replaces the gland packing with a derlin type bushing and warranties them to be leak free. The seeping and failures of the levers in the past is what led me to purchase the coil overs at the time I was doing the rebuild on my B.

LaVerne
LED DOWNEY

And of course we now have the uprated lever arms and this will go a long way to reducung bottoming on pot holes etc. I find the car still firmly controlled whilst my GT with rebuilt standard but good dampers feels positively very smooth but not nearly so tightly controlled.
Iain MacKintosh

I drove a friends B on a familiar road & on a corner with a hump on the road it nearly fired me off the road - the car had Gas/air shocks on the rear. My GT has uprated lever shocks all round. My roadster has Koni adjustable on the rear set on soft. I swapped them from one car to the other & I think both cars ride better on lever shocks. The Koni's are too firm at low speeds. I think the Koni's give more control at suicidal speeds though - the roads aren't a race track. I replaced the lever shocks on my GT with the reco ones 130,000 miles ago & as yet no problems - although I take them off every 50,000 miles & remove the covers, wash them out & refill with new shock oil. there is an amazing amount of meatl in the oil. The engine etc get an oil change so why not the shocks?
Garth Bagnall

Yep, I’m having trouble! My ‘original’ dampers, both front and rear are looking tired. One of the rears has a leak; one of the fronts has failed completely. I thought that I’d just get new ones, my philosophy is one of refurbished unit are often a short term solution. Anyway, I ordered two new (25% updated) items. On receipt both of these items had different damping characteristics; one was very ‘notchy’ through the range with limited angular travel, the other ‘locked’ solid at the extents of the travel. The two replacement items, again had ‘odd’ damping rates, and the fulcrum pin holes are VERY misaligned. Two further replacement items had acceptable damping characteristics, but differed by 21% in the damping rate. The fulcrum pins are still out of line requiring the thread to be damaged if ‘drifted’ through. So, I don’t really have any confidence in the NEW items, let alone the refurbished one. I didn’t want to go the Coil-Over route but I’m out of options, I’d like the car back on the road! I’ve so far (after 10 years) been happy with the ride from the leaver arms, except maybe after a long run they get a bit tired and floppy, but I know how they feel being worn down!
MG Mike

MG Mike,

Peter Caldwell at World Wide Auto Parts is THE lever shock man.

http://www.nosimport.com/
Carl Floyd

judging by these posts stock is the premium setup, despite its bottoming
d buck

Uprated dampers are as likely to be rebuilt units as standard dampers. In my experience although one may be unlucky and get one short-lived unit from a reputable supplier, they are so much cheaper than buying new (which have only been available again from relatively recently) it is still worth it. I put at least 70k miles on the V8 before having to change one, and goodness knows how long they had been on before I got the car. Never touch mine from one replacement to the next, just have a squint at them for dampness at each service.
Paul Hunt 2

Mike, get on to MGB Hive for a set of recon units. I don't know who does the work for them but I've fitted many sets from them and never had a problem.

01945 700500
Iain MacKintosh

This thread was discussed between 28/11/2005 and 07/12/2005

MG MGB Technical index

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