MG Sports Cars

engine swaps and other performance upgrades, plus "factory" and Costello V8s

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tcmgb
Jim Adams
phoenix az
(16 posts)

Registered:
04/12/2009 11:45PM

Main British Car:
74 b ls1 with a t5

steering effort
Posted by: tcmgb
Date: March 12, 2013 08:51PM

I am in the begining stages of installing a ls1 t5 combo into my new rdster. I have made a full frame am using a custom crossmember with mustang11 parts. What i would like to know is how steering effort it is to park and drive.I am currently using a stock mg rack. I used to have a red 2.3 ford turbo powered b. however the combo of cool temps and high boost sent the car into a light pole.Needless to say it was a wild ride and destroyed the car.


Moderator
Curtis Jacobson
Portland Oregon
(4576 posts)

Registered:
10/12/2007 02:16AM

Main British Car:
71 MGBGT, Buick 215

authors avatar
Re: steering effort
Posted by: Moderator
Date: March 12, 2013 10:41PM

When you installed the MustangII parts, I expect you probably changed caster angle. You may have also changed kingpin angle, scrub radius, steering arm length, etc. All these design parameters affect steering effort. Tire size, tread pattern, and sidewall stiffness are big variables. The amount of wear in your rack and whether or not it's been lubricated... and on top of all that, steering effort is a subjective thing. There's often a tradeoff: some people have worked to reduce low speed steering effort and ended up with cars that wander at highway speed. If I were you, I'd just wait and see.


classic conversions
bill guzman

(294 posts)

Registered:
01/09/2008 01:58AM

Main British Car:


Re: steering effort
Posted by: classic conversions
Date: March 13, 2013 10:35AM

One simple rule, light car more caster, heavy car less caster, narrow track more caster, short wheel base more caster.

Reason why the MGB came with 6-7 degrees of caster.
Adapting geometry from other cars is not as simple as just installed and drive, there are many variables to deal with when swapping steering parts. Yes they will work and look simple to do.


rficalora
Rob Ficalora
Willis, TX
(2764 posts)

Registered:
10/24/2007 02:46PM

Main British Car:
'76 MGB w/CB front, Sebring rear, early metal dash Ford 302

authors avatar
Re: steering effort
Posted by: rficalora
Date: March 16, 2013 03:16PM

Hey Jim - great to see your name again. I've posted pics of your red car a here a few times in the past when folks had questions about rabbit vs omni flares. Glad to see you are doing another!


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