MGB & GT Forum

I would love to lower my 76B. I did a search and lowering blocks in the rear and springs in the front. There was also a lot of mention of a CB crossmember. I have one in excellent condition but on other posts I read you open up a Pandora's box. I am so confused because I don't know what is opinion or fact. My car is a V6 conversion and have removed the baby buggy bumpers.

I've attached images showing a 1976 MGB lowered with the Moss 264-386 front springs and the 268-140 rear lowering blocks.

The car was stable enough with the stiffer front springs that we decided not to bother fitting an anti roll bar. The car handled very well, no bump steer and still had a comfortable ride. Simple and easy.


If you want to drop the car further, then you need to look into fitting a CB cross member and doing surgery on the rear of the car to relocate the spring and bump stop mountings.

There is also the (pricey) option of modifying your front spindles to raise them 1 or 2", thus lowering the front by the same amount.

That option avoids the possibility of "bump steer" which some say they experience when lowering with springs only.

Mine has 1" drop spindles and blocks in the rear.

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“Ideological certainty easily degenerates into an insistence upon ignorance". Daniel Patrick Moynihan

In any debate, the side which strays from civil discussion is usually the side that lacks confidence in its debate position or in the merit of their arguments. Making personal attacks on the opponents instead of staying on the subject is also a sign of weakness.

Anyone who feels compelled to respond in kind to any perceived slight is often suffering from narcissism.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016-08-30 08:16 PM by lewisrn.

This is what it looks like with dropped spindles, slightly shorter springs and a CB crossmember.

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Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

"Anyone with an intense emotional interest in a subject loses the ability to observe it objectively: You selectively perceive events. You ignore data and facts that disagree with your main philosophy. Even your memory works to fool you, as you selectively retain what you believe in, and subtly mask any memories that might conflict."

Not so, Bob. In fact, the opposite would be closer to correct.

Kelvin,
Looks like you have approx. 2" between top of tire and the fender well opening. I purchased a set of early B springs off eBay and installed them and my clearance is 1" (on 1977 MGB). I have lowering blocks for rear but have not yet installed them. Apparently Moss springs are taller or my springs have shrunk over the years !?

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Buz

“Every problem, has a gift in its hands for you”

Hate to say it but those springs you bought are sagged out. Swapping "chrome bumper springs" in place of rubber bumper springs will hardly lower the car at all.

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Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

"Anyone with an intense emotional interest in a subject loses the ability to observe it objectively: You selectively perceive events. You ignore data and facts that disagree with your main philosophy. Even your memory works to fool you, as you selectively retain what you believe in, and subtly mask any memories that might conflict."

Is there any narrative to support your assertion?

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“Ideological certainty easily degenerates into an insistence upon ignorance". Daniel Patrick Moynihan

In any debate, the side which strays from civil discussion is usually the side that lacks confidence in its debate position or in the merit of their arguments. Making personal attacks on the opponents instead of staying on the subject is also a sign of weakness.

Anyone who feels compelled to respond in kind to any perceived slight is often suffering from narcissism.

Not sure which of the two statements the disagreement is about but they are of course two different issues altogether !

Lloyd's swivel hubs are certainly raised which in turn demands lengthened king pins so maybe it's the use of the term 'spindles' for the assembly causing the confusion ?

Bump steer issues are usually over stated - sometimes grossly, and short of reprofiling the steering arms any changes you make to the height at the front must alter their attitude which ideally should be on the same plane as the rack itself and it's the deviation from that which can promote, produce, and exacerbate, bump steer.

Lowering with modified swivel hubs as opposed to just springs is no different in that respect though because in both cases and height for height you will be altering (raising) the attitude of the steering arms by exactly the same amount and there is really no way around that.

I can't recall Lloyd but didn't you also switch to a CB cross member and if so was that because of steering arm angles and potential bump
steer or other reasons ?


My 76 is lowered with Special Tuning springs alone (C-AHT 20 rear/C-AHT 21 front) augmented by a 3/4" roll bar and currently stands at 14 1/4" all round, a minor variation from my last measurements when I took corrective action over a marked bachelor lean.

As great as Lloyd's car looks I don't think I could live with being quite that low.

Lloyd,
I tend to agree with the sagging springs. However it did move the ride height to approx. early B spec and it achieved the look I was trying to get. Car rides fine and I really have no complaints.

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Buz

“Every problem, has a gift in its hands for you”

Ernie, the king pins are stock. One inch is added below the axle but the same amount is removed above it. Same overall length.

And yes, it's a bit too low sometimes.

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Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

"Anyone with an intense emotional interest in a subject loses the ability to observe it objectively: You selectively perceive events. You ignore data and facts that disagree with your main philosophy. Even your memory works to fool you, as you selectively retain what you believe in, and subtly mask any memories that might conflict."

You can also lower the spring pan. This can be done using steel plates. But remember it's all most a 2 to 1 ratio meaning if you drop the spring pan one inch
the top of the tire will move almost 2 inches closer to the fender.

Bill

Induces the exact same bump steer problems as using shorter springs. Bump steer is not an opinion, it is a straight fact of suspension dynamics. Some feel it more than others.

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Law of Logical Argument - Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

"Anyone with an intense emotional interest in a subject loses the ability to observe it objectively: You selectively perceive events. You ignore data and facts that disagree with your main philosophy. Even your memory works to fool you, as you selectively retain what you believe in, and subtly mask any memories that might conflict."

Ernie, because of the steering arm is shorter(a lot) than the front view swing arm length, when lowering a lot with shorter springs, the roll steer(bump steer) geometry goes out of the factory sweet spot and and roll steer moves toward oversteer. Understeer is quicker and more stable so over steer is not good.

Yes. You, me, & others have lowered our cars via shorter springs & commented that the bump steer increase was very minor.

Dave Headley & Dick Luening both offer modified steering arms with their dropped spindles.

Then, there is this 5 year old post from Dave.