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MG MGF Technical - Low Machine

My MGF is completely standard, and the suspension looks a bit high.
I've heard that people drain off some of the hydrogas and this lowers the suspension. Is this true? How much can be drained and will this impare the cars brilliant handling?
Ian

Ian your car can be lowered by letting out the Hyrogas. The car will handle alot better but it will need to be lowered so the car is equal on both sides. There is a valve for each side of the car, it is in the front of the car (near the master brake cylinder). If you do decide to lower the F it will need to have all the wheels aligned after being drop.
Now you can goto a mg specialist to get this mod for around £60, but the Essex Roadsters have recently purchased a machine that will lower and pump up the suspension. If you ask the club they might do the job for you at a lower cost. Contact SF he is the man.
JOIN THE LOW RIDERS
Garry

Mine just fitted with lowering knuckles has 1 cm gap between the tyres and wheel arch. Very low. The pressure in hydragas is a little high, so it will be lowered a little further. Just have to be careful on drive ways and speed bumps (and sleeping police man!)

:-D

I first lowered my car by letting the hydragas out, but if you really want to lower it.. use the lowering knuckles. I fitted with shock absorber kit that Mike is selling.

Came out to be 117 pounds or so. + 4 hours labour.

Good luck!

and after lowering, wheel alignment is a must for ur tyre wear.
Hanah Kim

Thanks for the advice.
So I can take the F to any garage and get them to drain equal amounts of hydrogas from each side? Since the system is similar to that on the metro.
Ian

If you lower the car on hydrogas only don't over do it, as the ride will become very harsh. i would highly advise fitting lowering knuckles, as the correct hydrogas pressure can be maintained.

Also after lowering the car (knuckles or hydrogas) it's important to have 4 wheel alignment (5 min toe in all round is reccomended i believe)

You will find much information both about alignment and tracking in the archives
Kingsley

Thanks for the advise, sorry about the metro reference!
Ian

Ian for ur last question, yes you can take it to any garage which deals with Metros.. they have same system as you have said already.

They will pop the bonnet, and drain the fluid out. Don't go lower then 350mm from my experience. That's from the centre of the wheel to the wheel arch. Normal suggested height is 368mm. or something like that.

Make sure you give the car some time to settle with the new height, then take it to wheel alignment.

Good luck!
Hanah Kim

Thought I'd measure my ride height yesterday as it's looking a bit low and I've been scraping mudflaps on driveways that weren't a problem before. Height was a perfect 358mm when I last measured it in summer but now it's dropped to a wicked 320mm! It's pretty cold in Auckland at the moment but it shouldn't go that low right?
Alister Louis

Yeah that sounds pretty low Alister. Pump it back up to the 358mm height.

320mm is way too low without lowering knuckles. Have you checked your tyre wear? (possibly inner tyre wear in front wheels)

Where abouts in Auckland are you?
Hanah Kim

Ian, the DIY method, sans hydragas pump, can be found at http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/howto_lower.htm

Proceed with care (and follow the rule of thirds), and you'll have no problem. Do not go lower than 340 mm without lowering knuckles fitted (you'll damage the suspension in the long term).
Rob Bell

Hi Hanah. Tyres are fine although the previous set that were replaced when I bought the car were wearing thin on the inner edge. But ride height was fine at that time, so maybe the previous owner had similar problems and pumped it back up. Guess I'll go and see Terry some time soon. How much did you pay for the knuckles?

Anyway I'm in St Heliers/Glen Innes and working in Ponsonby.
Alister Louis

Alister check ur email.

Cheers.

For the lowering kit -> go to www.mikesatur.co.uk
Hanah Kim

This thread was discussed between 13/07/2002 and 16/07/2002

MG MGF Technical index

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