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MG MGB Technical - New (UK) rear springs different?

I recently fitted new rear springs to my 1963 mgb roadster. After researching the subject I made sure they were manufactured in the UK.

I know the springs I removed were original, because I have had my car from almost new.

My problem is that the left wheel is now closer to the the wheel arch than was previously the case. I have larger wheels and have had clearance problems before so I also fitted 195 tyres in lieu of 205 x 15. Amazingly I am worse off as the left touches worse than before and without provocation. I appreciate all MGBs have the left wheel closer to the wheel arch than the right but this seems extreme.

The wheels are centrelock minilite replicas on a standard salisbury type diff. I have changed the diff because the car now has a Rover V8.

Is it possible these springs are the causes of the increased bias to the left.

Thanks
Ian Buckley

Ian, I had the opposite problem with my 74 GT prior to fitting new rear springs also made in England. Before replacement the left tyre almost touched the inside of the rear wheel arch. That was with standard rostyle wheels with 185 70 14 tyres. When I removed the sold springs that were definately banana shaped. After fitting the new springs I have no clearance problems and have the same clearance both sides.

Try removing the new springs and see if they are banana shaped. You could reinstall them on the opposite sides and see if that makes any difference. I've seen many cars with 195 size tyres and that seem to fit ok, albeit a little close.

Good luck Andy

Andy Preston

Unless your old springs had bent or been 'banana-ed' to move the axle to the right a bit, possibly to 'correct' the well-known situation of there being less clearance on the left, then either the new springs are bent to the left or they have been fitted incorrectly.

I had significant rubbing problems with 165 or 175 tyres when converting to wire-wheels without changing the axle complete, just fitting so-called conversion hubs, and eventually I fitted a pukka wire-wheel axle and now have plenty of clearance. I have had 195s on my V8 (alloys on a steel wheel axle) and there is plenty of clearance, is yours a steel wheel axle with centre-lock hubs? But I don't know how the offset of a Minilite compares to a Rostyle and a wire wheel.
Paul Hunt

Thanks Andy and Paul,

It is now midnight and I have been running around today trying to sort this problem and I think I have.

Tomorrow I will look at the old springs to see if there is a bias to the right. I went to 2 mg specialists today, I have known them both for a very long time. I was happy to acknowledge that I had fitted the springs incorrectly, but they thought all was in order. However one thought there may be a slight 'banana' in one spring, but it was difficult to be sure.

What I did discover and wish I had known 2 or 3 years ago is what Paul is saying.

SHORTER SPLINED REAR HUBS DO EXIST - BEAUTY!

I bought 2 of the shorter conversion hubs, Paul refers to and have just finished my test drive after fitting them.

I measured the difference between the 'conversion' hubs and standard and there is an 8 to 10 mm advantage to be gained. When these were shown to me today I couldn't get my credit card out fast enough.

My car has a wire wheel axle with centre lock hubs. Common sense says bolt on wheels, but I like the look of Minilites with knock on centres.

Paul, I measured the offset on the Minilite replicas and it was the same as the 15x5.5 chrome MGC wheels I have from MWS. Would you believe the Minilites weight almost as much as the wire wheels! So much for saving some unsprung weight.

During my test drive this evening through the balmy Adelaide Hills I did make the left tyre touch a couple of times. I was cornering very hard when I did this and I am condident that when I reinstall my Panhard rod this won't occur.


cheers



Ian Buckley

Ian. It must be the center lock that adds to the weight of the basic wheels. I changed out my GT to the disc wheel axles and installed Minator's Minilite replicas on it. I was amazed at how much lighter they were than the wire wheels they replaced. Les
Les Bengtson

Les

Yes, there is a big lump of steel in the middle of the centrelock wheels. I wonder if it needs to be that heavy.

When I bought them I weighed one and it was almost the same as my MGC 15" x 5.5" 72 spoke wheels.

That was a little disappointing, but a hell of a lot easier to clean.

cheers
Ian Buckley

This thread was discussed between 05/02/2004 and 08/02/2004

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