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I have been looking in vain for the MGB rear spring modifications

Posted by Dwight 
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
I have been looking in vain for the MGB rear spring modifications......

This is one where you remove one of the leaves and change sumthin or sumthin else and it helps to stop the bad acts of bump steer in turns.....


Anybody out there can show me the way????

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Steve64B Avatar
Steve Opitz
Phoenix, AZ, USA   usa
1966 MG MGB
In reply to # 2134283 by Dwight I have been looking in vain for the MGB rear spring modifications......

This is one where you remove one of the leaves and change sumthin or sumthin else and it helps to stop the bad acts of bump steer in turns.....


Anybody out there can show me the way????

Dwight,

Once you get all the bark out of the engine bay... go to the Fab-Tec site and read the link.

http://www.fast-mg.com/grip_tech2.htm
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
Bark?


OH, you mean from hittin' that durned 'ol tree.....


LOL






In reply to # 2134314 by Steve64B
In reply to # 2134283 by Dwight I have been looking in vain for the MGB rear spring modifications......

This is one where you remove one of the leaves and change sumthin or sumthin else and it helps to stop the bad acts of bump steer in turns.....


Anybody out there can show me the way????

Dwight,

Once you get all the bark out of the engine bay... go to the Fab-Tec site and read the link.

http://www.fast-mg.com/grip_tech2.htm


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Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
FOUND! Hidden deep within my emails from my son Brian......



http://www.britishv8.org/Articles/Easy-Traction.htm


I'm gonna try this....
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
Ya know, I kinda wonder, if I had a locker/limited slip/ differential, maybe would have avoided this 'incident?

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Steve64B Avatar
Steve Opitz
Phoenix, AZ, USA   usa
1966 MG MGB
It depends, you called the incident when the tree jumped in front of you a snap right, what caused the snap right?
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
Well, I admit, it had been raining, but sorta dry and then there's the old [5 year old Kumho Victoracers, that i had applied a coating of tread softener. The stuff is meant for drag racers and may not have not have worked [apparently] within doing a 'burnout' Which by the way isn't real easy in a MGB.......

I happened so fast, I had no time to respond. It was over before I knew what was happening...


Maybe, ya think I should stick to autox?

pinkyponk Avatar
Adrian Page
Nova Scotia Canada, Canada   can
What keeps the extra leaf spring from moving around(as it is unsupported) and sticking into the tire or whatever else might be in the vicinity?
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
I dunno...... But Bill Guzman does. Let's ask him....


Bill?

My son Brian said: " Check springs rates in the MGEx race section. See what the road racers have to say.



Racers, where iz ya'll?

fast-MG.com Avatar
Dave Headley
Cortez, 4 corners, Colorado, USA   usa
Dwight, snap oversteer is usually caused by something bottoming causing a "BIG" increase in spring rate. Things like bottomed out shock, hitting bump stop etc. Also, a broken axle shaft might cause distress!

To soften rear rates, remove the longest non-full length leaf. You can also move the shortest two leaves to the top of the stack.
Fast-MG.com Dave Headley, dba FAB-TEK offers full service race car parts and preperation for MGB & MGA race cars, SCCA and Vintage. Dave is a mechanical engineer and has raced MGBs since 1963.
Steve64B Avatar
Steve Opitz
Phoenix, AZ, USA   usa
1966 MG MGB
Dave:

Do you recommend shortening or trimming the bump stop to a more progressive shape?
fast-MG.com Avatar
Dave Headley
Cortez, 4 corners, Colorado, USA   usa
Steve, I remove them on race cars. I think you could cut the MGB factory one in half.
Fast-MG.com Dave Headley, dba FAB-TEK offers full service race car parts and preperation for MGB & MGA race cars, SCCA and Vintage. Dave is a mechanical engineer and has raced MGBs since 1963.
Steve64B Avatar
Steve Opitz
Phoenix, AZ, USA   usa
1966 MG MGB
Dwight,

The idea is 40 years old and given what Dave just posted not applicable for an all out race car, but for the street I think having bump stops might be a good idea.

In the 60's Bob Sharp shaped the front and rear bump stops to adjust under/over steer.

here's a link to a site where you can download the PDF file.

http://www.datsun.org/roadster/resources/compmanual.html

I've trimmed the rear bump stops so they are very pointy and much more progressive. Rather than snap oversteer, there is a progressive increase in spring rate and oversteer... but the rear doesn't just "step out"

Steve64B Avatar
Steve Opitz
Phoenix, AZ, USA   usa
1966 MG MGB
Dwight,

What are the current suspension mod's you have in place for the car?
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
I have stock springs/shocks, original parts. Never replaced...
I re-installed the stock sway bar and installed lowering blocks made of square stock steel, using longer 'U' bolts...

The front has modified lower control arms with about 1-1/2 to 2" lower and capable of camber adjustment. Using stock front springs/shocks original parts....
Works well with good tires.....

pinkyponk Avatar
Adrian Page
Nova Scotia Canada, Canada   can
I didn't know the bump stops did anything beyond absorb some of the smash when you went over a wheel eating pothole/crater so you didn't break all your teeth. These things actually touch/do something in cornering?
Steve64B Avatar
Steve Opitz
Phoenix, AZ, USA   usa
1966 MG MGB
In reply to # 2144876 by pinkyponk I didn't know the bump stops did anything beyond absorb some of the smash when you went over a wheel eating pothole/crater so you didn't break all your teeth. These things actually touch/do something in cornering?

Adrian,

If you bound over a pot hole in a straight line all you lose is your fillings, but if you come up against the bump stop in cornering the spring rate goes to infinity (and beyond) and that end will quickly lose grip.

fast-MG.com Avatar
Dave Headley
Cortez, 4 corners, Colorado, USA   usa
What Steve said X2.

Dwight, when you added lowering blocks, did you also swap the lower plates side to side. This inverts the flange for shock link and centers the shock travel.
Fast-MG.com Dave Headley, dba FAB-TEK offers full service race car parts and preperation for MGB & MGA race cars, SCCA and Vintage. Dave is a mechanical engineer and has raced MGBs since 1963.
Dwight Avatar
Dwight McCullough
Ham Lake Minnesota, USA   usa
"What Steve said X2.

Dwight, when you added lowering blocks, did you also swap the lower plates side to side. This inverts the flange for shock link and centers the shock travel"

Didn't know you should do that........

First, I'm going to install all the ancillaries and get it running, drop it back on the ground to see how it sits.......

The springs look normal and can't find any bends or kinks.....

Still worried the body might be damaged beyond repair....
mjamgb Avatar
michael anderson
NORTHERN NEVADA, USA   usa
"What keeps the extra leaf spring from moving around(as it is unsupported) and sticking into the tire or whatever else might be in the vicinity?"

The extra leaf is long enough the ends won't stick the tire.

The spring mounting pads are "trough" shaped so they tend to keep things in order.

Lots of production vehicles have rear leaf springs with no clamps whatsoever... I used an old Dodge firetruck that the spring leaves were never in the same relative position twice. Unit mechanic said not to sweat it and it never gave any actual trouble.

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