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MG MGB Technical - Better handleing, how to?

I am currently sorting out the brakes on my 77B. Next will be the suspension. I'm interested in making the car handle great. Besides poly bushings and new tires what other mods can be incoporated to increase the handleing? Brakes will be mostly stock but may use silicone fluid.

I intend to use this as a hobby car and plan to autocross it a bit. Our club is planing on challenging the local Triumph club to an autocross!
S.L. LaPaugh

Tricky question. How much do you want to do (i.e. spend)?

If it is still at rubber bumper height then lowering it back to chrome bumper height would help enormously. There are various methods for doing this. I went for re-arched rear springs and lower, stiffer srprings in the front with uprated valves in the dampers. The car looks MUCH better too at CB height.

Upgrade the front anti roll bar and remove the rear one. Poly bushes all around are good.

Also look at going to 15 inch wheels. You'll find a much better selection of tires available for them and you can go to something like a 185 or 195 width tire too.

Stock brakes should be fine. On mine I did put in green stuff pads at the front though as it was an easy improvement.

Some ideas, I am sure others will have other useful suggestions.

Simon
Simon Jansen

Simon's opening question will most likely be the defining one.

Apart from the advice above a Panhard rod may be worth thinking about.

This separates the lateral locating duties from the spring duties and really help the handling in the corners.

Look for a rod in the 36 inch between centres region and remember a sizeable amount of the weight of the car will be going through it so the mounts need to be as sturdy as possible.

Cheers , Pete.
Peter Thomas

Stiffen the front up, leave the rear loose to maximize grip.
Agree with Simon, Lower to chrome bumper height,
Uprated (and obviously lower) springs in front.
heavier antisway bar. I tried a 3/4" and found I still had oversteer, so I went to a 22mm (7/8") and it's perfect. Tiny bit of controlable, inducable oversteer is left. It depends on the weight distribution of your car. A trail and error process as to which is best for you. Mines a V8 with light weight fibre glass springs, antitramp bars and a panhard at the back. 15X6" superlites.
A heavier antisway bar at the front, as well as flattening out cornering, reduces over steer at the back, which most MGB's have. If you go too heavy at the front, understeer creaps in. An Antisway bar at the back exacibates over steer. Rubber bumpers run an antisway bar at the back because although it induces gradual oversteer, thats percieved to be better than the rolling caused by the extra height. At chrome bumper height you can throw away the bar.
There are different ways to lower the back 2". Pros and cons attached to each.
1" Blocks, and redrill the spring hanger holes, move them up 45mm(1" at axle). My option, because the light weight springs don't come in different ratings.
Reverse eye springs. eye is on the bottom, not top.
Flatter springs.
Restack the leaves of the springs.
You need to cut 22mm off the rubber bump stop to prevent bump stop contact in corners and subsequent snap over steer.
You need to swap and flip the shocker link spring mount points if you don't use blocks.
Poly bushes, sugest the blue, softest grade (superflex). The others are a little harsh.
Check out the technical information section here
http://www.mgbmga.com/
It's invaluble. This is where I got my rear suspension set up from, the panhard from pete mantel.


Peter Sherman

This thread was discussed between 25/01/2009 and 26/01/2009

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