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MG TD TF 1500 - TF Hard ride

The TF is on the road and has 400mls under her belt. Not happy with the ride comfort as you feel every bump in the road.Not as smooth as my TD.
The TF has new springs all round, rear shocks new, fronts reconditioned. Used the wheels from my TD with Goodyear GT 80 165x15 radials as I have difficulty in obtaining a set of 165x15 for the TF and only had one quote for Vredesteins.

Has anyone been through the suspension rebuild process and experienced this sort of problem and hopefully solved it? Any advice appreciated, but take your time as I am away till Thursday!

Thanks
David Tinker

David,
Last year I did a rear-end gear change & replaced my springs. One thing you might want to look at is the spring bushings (Moss part # 282-848). I ended up having both rubber & urethane parts for mine. I first installed the 8 urethane bushings. After a quick run down the road I also though the rear felt a bit "harsh". I then replaced the upper bushings with the rubber ones. I was happy with the "feel" using this set-up but would imagine if all 8 replaced with rubber would soften things even more. $10.00 part ...worth a shot?
Cheers,
David 55 TF1500
David Sheward

Although those urethane bushings are great for longevity they are in most cases of too high a durometer and have little compliance to absorb road shock. Also those radial tyres do not help with obtaining a smooth ride as the side wall are less compliant to vertical distortion. (bumps)
In a recent conversation with one of our T-Club members who happens to be a tyre designer by profession, he noted that the worst thing you can do to a T Car suspension components is to change to radial tyres. Everyone who changes to radials, expound the attributes of, "a better ride", when in fact the radial tyre just tracks and corners better than a bias tyre, but loads up the suspension more.
Give me the good old bias ply tyre and have fun doing 4 wheel drifts.
colin stafford

Colin, You old fashioned conservative!!! Bias ply tyres??....Only for Concourse.

Maybe Davids TF is handling like a TF should and now he needs to rebuild his soggy old TD to the same standard.
Phil Stafford

Hi Everyone and thanks for your thoughts.

David, I already have the standard rubber bushes and maybe urethane would make things a little worse.

Colin, Fair comment about tyres but my I am currently using the wheels from my TD and the TD ride is fine.

Phil, You are probably correct in your assumption. With a new body everything is very taught with no give at all, whereas the TD is a little soggy. How do I convert my TF to that soggy feel??!!

Another ingredient in the equation is the TF tub is clad in aluminium sheet which is roughly 25% lighter than the steel which makes for a lighter car liable to bounce around a bit more. Maybe I will disconnect the shocks and have a trial run to see if that makes a difference, and also try reduced tyre pressures.
I had intended to make a telescopic conversion kit for the rear shocks and I have the metal work designed but have not yet found adjustable shocks with the correct amount of travel ( about 16" eye to eye max extension with 4 1/2" travel. I will keep looking.

Thanks again all.
David
David Tinker

David,
"How do I convert my TF to that soggy feel??!!"
Hows about a bit of the old "cornoring robustly" !
;-)!
Cheers,
David
David Sheward

This thread was discussed between 28/07/2002 and 02/08/2002

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.