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MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - Koning tube shocks instead of Girlings

Enjoying the MG TD is a work in progress. I recently replaced both rear wheel cylinders, rebuilt driver's side front wheel cylinder and Girling shock absorber.

Had the tires shaved and balanced then mated to the best position on the car. Installed pertronix electronic ignition and matching coil and installed the spin on/off oil filter adapter.

What a difference having brakes that work, a car that doesn't bounce and thus offering a smoother ride.

Today, I heard a thump in the rear end....another Girling shock has finally thrown in the towel. With this latest ailment, I've decided to convert to tube shocks on the rear end and replace the Girlings.

Rebuilding the Girlings will run $177 each. Replacing Koning tube shocks, when the need arrives is $128 each.

Anyone have any experiences to share after installing the shock kit offered by Moss that replaces the original Girlings?

My little red ride pictured....love the rag doll.


R C Flowers

If you remove the Girlings, you should put them on the shelf and keep them. Someone down the line will more than likely want to put it back to factory. Why change the car to non factory for a couple hundred bucks saved? Send them to Peter Caldwell at World Wide Auto Parts in Madison WI. I did that with my TF Armstrong's and they came back better than new! JMHO. PJ
PSJ

No personal experience on a T car, but I converted to tube shocks on my B 20 years ago. The kit came with adjustable Spax shocks. The consensus is that they are to stiff even at their lightest setting. My suspician is that the Spax and most likely the Koni's are designed for a heavier vehicle and while they fit the geometry they are not valved properly. Moss has finally addressed that by offering a Monroe shock on the B kit which seems to have satisfied the tube crowd.
That said there are still issues with a tube shock conversion and the geometry of the mounting points verses the Girling/Armstrong lever design. Peter Caldwell would best explain that I think.

I believe that were I to change to a tube shock I would give the Moss tech department a call and explore the possibilities of using the B Monroe kit instead of the Koni's. Less money and most likely a better ride.
L E D LaVerne

RC,
You said "Today, I heard a thump in the rear end....another Girling shock has finally thrown in the towel" what made the thump????Did it break internally?? Or the link???


SPW
STEVE WINCZE

Steve,

It's internal.

I really want to keep the car 'original' however I am curious as to what the perspective views are from those with far more experience with the TD than I. Especially in regards to the shocks. Tubes v. origial Girlings. Labor wise, the tubes are easier for me to maintain and or replace than are the Girlings.

As an aside, I don't throw out old parts, especially those that are no longer manufactured. The aforementioned mindset has resulted in my barn having quite a few old BMW and HD parts that are oiled and stowed away for some future use or someone else's 'barn discovery' somewhere down the road.

Peter at World Wide did the rebuild on my driver's side front Girling and it is working beautifully. I'm quite satisfied with the end results.

My car sat for quite a while before I acquired it. As a result, I'm addressing issues that can only be revealed with use. Perhaps in retrospect, I should have pulled all of the Girlings and had them rebuilt, but when the front one failed the others were performing properly.

It looks as though I will remove both rear Girlings and send them up to Peter and let him perform his superior skills for me yet another time....and perhaps the passenger front as well.
R C Flowers

I have tub shocks on both my TF and MGA. I put them on the TF when I was rebuilding her ,so I've never driven her with the stock shocks. I did drive the "A" with stock ones and like the ride with the tub shocks much better. The TF ride is much harsher than that of the MGA, may be it's just that the TF is a lighter car.


David Werblow

Thank you all for your input. I will do as suggested and speak with technical support at Moss before I make a decision. L E D, thank you much.

Now I'll go back to pulling the door panels off and installing my turnbuckles. I'm using eyebolts in the lower front corner and upper rear. I fabricated four short round steel rods to which I'm attaching heavy duty stainless steel swivels that are then attached to the eyebolts and the eyelets on the small turnbuckle. I used swivels so the eyebolts wouldn't get torqued when I turn the buckle to tweak my doors. Looks good on paper, now I'll see how well it works in application.

Be well and again, thank you for the input.



R C Flowers

I like the whitewalls! What brand of tires are they?
J Barry

J Barry, they're Cokers. However, you can get radials with wide whitewalls with a company in SC. I can't think of their name at the moment but will post it once I do. They'll get my business when I replace the tires next spring.
R C Flowers

RCF,

B&G make a coil-over shock conversion that is not shown in their catalogue or shown on their web-site, but I believe they addressed the issue regarding valving for the lighter car.

Comes as a quite complicated kit.

I have seen the conversion and it involves making expensive mods to the upper spring support - pic of the conversion kit is appended.

Gord Clark
Rockburn, Qué.


Gordon A Clark

Sorry to disagree. But you said Peter at World Wide rebuild your fronts. Well, Peter is probably THE best expert on lever shocks there is. Talk to him and get his thoughts (I can say that in attending a shock workshop Peter put on at our local club, Peter feels lever shocks are as good if not better than Tube shocks).

Yes a bit more expensive, but Peter guarantees his work for pretty much life, so a one time fee and you stay stock.

Want more shock? Talk to Peter, he can change your girling internals to be stiffer or softer or whatever you want.
Bruce Cunha

The B&G kit is interesting. The coil springs over the dampers may improve the TFs tendency to bottom out, especially when driving two up + luggage. Is this a bolt-on conversion or is there a need for irreversible changes to the upper spring support?

And, how much does it cost?

regards,

Jan
Jan Kristoffersen

Thunks in the rear end are usually a loose bolt (or two) which hold the shock to the frame. It will sound like something slapping the wooden floor.

Lever shocks will always have better performance than tubular shocks over a longer range, while being more compact because of their geometry. The only reason American car makers went away from them is because of the complexity and cost.

Occassionally, a new shock link is required.

Hope this helps.

warmly,
dave
Dave Braun

This thread was discussed between 16/09/2012 and 18/09/2012

MG TD TF 1500 index

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