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MG MGF Technical - Shock!

Even though my 98VVC has recently passed an MOT and undergone the 48000 mile service at a main dealer there remains a noise when the nose of the car dips under braking or when pushed by hand that I consider to be the off-side shock. I have applied oil to the shock on two occasions and the noise disappears for a few miles. You can also feel a knocking when the noise is evident through the pedals. Consequently I'm now looking for some replacement shocks (relatively affordable as the wife has just spent all our money on an Alfa GTV). So basically does anyone have any current recommendations for improved shocks and what is the benefit of them being adjustable and are they easily adjustable?...so many questions.

Neil
Neil Stothert

I think an archive search for Techspeed will provide most of the answers!
David

My advice is keep your old shocks as long as they are serviceable and the bushes are sound.I uprated mine with adjustable absorbers and damaged the mountings.Pot holes in the country roads and speed humps did not help.
Roger

Roger

Was there damage to both the rear and front mountings?
The reason I ask is I understand the rear can be strengthened.

Neil
Neil Stothert

Forget adjustable shocks unless you have the settings on low as yes they can damage the mounts.

Techspeed shocks are not adjustable and have been developed specially for the F and as far as I know have never caused any damaged to any car.

Neil have you checked to see if the shock rubber bushes have perished, maybe the noise is the shocks moving around on there mounts.

Tom
Tom Randell

A weakness of the rear shock mounts are well known - and a warning note was enclosed in the Moss MGF catalogue from as early as 1998!

The problem seems to primarily affect adjustable dampers as Tom mentions - when wound up to their maxium stiffness. The shock absorber mounts simply weren't designed with these kind of loads in mind - the Hydragas units perform a sizeable amount of damping function on the standard car, and the standard shocks are almost there 'just for the ride' - providing resistance only on rebound.

I've got Techspeed specc'ed Bilstein dampers on my car - no problem so far. When my had these fitted, Techspeed's own 'lovingly abused' MGF had done over 20k miles with no evidence of damage to the shock absorber mounts. As usual, time will tell.

As Neil mentions, Mike Satur sells repair/strengthening plates for the rear mounts - well worth considering long term - especially if you've opted for the adjustable damper sets.
Rob Bell

Interesting point about rear shock mounts going, Scarlet has now covered approx 65,000 miles* on Spax adjustables wound up to maximum on the rear with NO damage to the mounts.

Now, that doesn't mean that it is OK, it just means that i have been lucky (so far).

SF

* = Shocks fitted at around 25,000 miles, Scarlet now has 90,408 on her mileometer.
Scarlet Fever


Scarlet , if You get the chance to se a few other "F" īs and how they are spot-welded in that area, notice the different quality of the welds ? There is a good chance to get one properly welded that never will fail OR a badly welded one that will be fine for the very "loose" original dampers but fail when adjustable ones are fitted. My left rear was just "delivered" not properly welded and failed with the Koniīs . BTW that re-inforcement welding was another "pig job" :( BRG burns and smells like ...

Regards , Carl.
Carl

Tom
I've checked the lower bushes and they appear fine but can I check the top bushes without removing the shocks?

Rob
<<'lovingly abused'>> aren't they all:-)

Neil
Neil Stothert

Neil
Not sure how to check top I just know from experience that the lower bushes perish and leave the shock slapping around the mount. When I had my shocks replaced by Techspeed they showed me all the old bits and I was surprised that the car was still going judging by how bad the bushes had perished over the years.

Tom
Tom Randell

>>
Rob
<<'lovingly abused'>> aren't they all:-)
<<

Well I know that mine certainly is! LOL :o)

Check out the suspension links on http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com and you'll see how bad my car's OE damper bushes looked @ c 50,000 miles (5 years old) prior to replacement... ie they were knackered.
Rob Bell

How strang! Sounds like the same problem I am having at the moment!
The knocking on mine is coming from the right hand side and is annoying me. I dont have a clue what it can be though.
You think it may be the shocks then?
Wez

This thread was discussed between 07/05/2002 and 10/05/2002

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGF Technical BBS is active now.