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MG MGB Technical - spax or not ?

'65 MGB 2 leaking lever arms (6 years old 2000 miles, fitted for previous owner) do I just replace like for like or go for a spax kit front and rear? Do they improve or not as good as a 'good' standard set up ?

Been all change in the garage the 2.7 1972 rsl has been sold (it was remortage the house for a engine rebuild or let it go to some one with more cash) so took a good offer ( I payed £4000 for it in 1987 in bits) and purchased a bmw 3.0 csl 2 local 70 year old owners full bmw service history low miles nad never seen the rain.. and bugger its fun.

http://www.bmwmregistry.com/detail.php?id=1788

and its left me with just enougth cash for a nice 328 GTB with low miles and all the factory extras, sports exhaust, wider wheels, deep front spoiler...then my Wife reminds me of the new kitchen I promised her.

Got to get her into MFI before she calls in Smallborne kitchens.(if she will go MFI theres hope....)

marc
M C Lovell

Marc,

Levers work but best new rather than recon and prob uprate front levers valve wise.

Paul
Paul

Hi, Marc. Did the Spax conversion on my '78 B. I was impressed from the first drive, and found that 8 clicks "in" from the softest setting is the ticket for me. The car now handles our "smooth" (yeah, right!) New York roadways much better than it ever did with the original lever shocks, which were in good shape when removed. Nice, firm ride w/o rattling your teeth over the bigger potholes. Installation was straightforward. I recommend the conversion, even though it is expensive. Mike
Mike Koval

The rears are a waste of time and money unless you are going for wholesale replacements. I've driven V8s with lever arms vs Spax and no rear bar vs rear bar in most combinations, and IMHO a rear bar is much better value. They are also much more expensive to replace than reconditioned replacement lever-arms, as I know to my cost. The PO put adjustables on my V8 but the ride was too harsh for me on anything but the softest setting. However after many years they are now a bit too soft, but the adjusters have siezed! Can't wait to go back to lever-arms. Can't speak for fronts.
Paul Hunt

I swapped out the rears and added fronts many years back as I "assumed" it would be better. Teh Moss kit I used was (IMHO) poorly designed and I ended up modifying the front stuff when I replaced the kaka Monroematics with KYB's.
I have autocrossed the car (CB) with a 7/8-inch sway bar in the fornt as well and wide stickies (on minilite copy knock-ons). Works pretty well.
However, I am going to "un-race prep" it and am thinking serously of going back to the levers (uprated valving, of course).
Did I help?
The Spax stuff is a lot pricier than what I used but is adjustable... I'm still not certain what is "best."

Mike!
mike!

Thanx for all the help. I went down to the MGB Hive near wisbeach and went for reconditioned uprated lever arms. While I was at it replaced all the king pins due to wear, bottom wishbones due to oblong holes, new track rod ends, new top and botton link bushes and replaced all the bushes with polys and all new bolts from the a local fixing shop. Also replaced the brake disks and some new s/steel hoses and disk sheilds and some green stuff fast road brake pads.

The only other problem I now have after reading this board is front wheel bearings, set the end float up and the Haynes manual states the bearing nut needs to be 40-70 lb/ft and that seems much to tight to me is this corect? as the bearings feel much to tight at that,Or have I made a mess up with the shims and clearance for it to be this tight ?

The only other job left to do is the back axle due to clonking and put on dampers to match the front and new poly bushes.

The 1961/62 midget is now coming on at a pace, new panels now include, Front wings, front valance (whole front end with slam panel)iner sills, outer sills, floors, floor cross members, 'A' panels and covers, boot floor and all the asociated parts, rear valance, iner wheel arches and a few small panels as well. It may have been cheaper to go for a new body shell and have it modified to a Gan 1 spec. The engine has been fully rebuilt along with unleaded head, new clutch, rebuilt gear box and back axle. The seats are going in to be recoverd next week. All the suspenshion is now rebuilt, repainted and ready to bolt back on. I think the total cost including paying for the sheel rebuild, bare metal respray in side and out, engine rebuild , trim and cromeis gona be around the 4500 mark. No bargin but will be a very nice mk1 midget that are becoming all to scarce.

As soon as I get the web site up and running will post pics of the rebuild from start to finish along with some of my other cars.Took the csl out in the rain today and bumped in to a couple of chaps who worked at the bmw main deals (R.A Wilsons Boston) one of the Guys sold the car new and the other chap sold it to the the guy in 1979 who I got it from. Last week end went on a Car treasure hunt and meet a guy who had serviced it from new (his daughter gose to school with my daughter)and whos signiture is in the service book from 1973 till 1983. Its a small world.

Thanx for the help. hope to get to the next meet at the 'Wishing well' in Dyke and meet some of you chaps.

marc
M C Lovell

The front bearing is not shimmed enough if it feels tight. The spacer and shims ensure that you can torque the nut to failure before hurting the bearing IF the proper number/thickness of shims are in there.

Mike!
mike!

I have Spax shocks on my 67 and they are terrible as they are far too stiff even set on the softest setting. I'm going back to rebuilt levers. The RB cars have more weight in the rear that's why they may offer a better ride.
Mike MaGee

As mike! implies there should be detectable 'wobble' at the wheel when tightened to 40-70 ft lb, if not you do not have enough shims. This can happen if you grease the bearings before determining which shims are required and only tighten to something significantly less then 40lb during the process. Very much simplified you juggle shims until with one set there is no play and with another set .001 thicker there is just a smidgen of play, then use the smaller set with an additional .003. This should get you to the required .002 to .004.
Paul Hunt

Thank you Mike! Mike and Paul. A shim was droped when I gressed the bearing up, put back in tightened to 60ld/ft and its about perfect.

regards
marc
M C Lovell

This thread was discussed between 05/07/2004 and 10/07/2004

MG MGB Technical index

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