skootch13 aaron kuertz cincinnati (31 posts) Registered: 06/30/2020 01:50PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB Rover 4.6 (I'm told) |
MGB Wheel Hop
My car has the Moss Motors tube shock conversion on it. For some reason, the passenger side top mounting bracket got bent. And then the shock eyelet got warbled. Which caused a clang over bumps.
I got a new top mount and shock and replaced them today. In doing so, I discovered that the PO had put the top bracket on upside down from the instructions. i put the mount on in the "soft" position according to the Moss instructions. I did a few clutch drops after the install. And now I have wheel hop. So, experts, do i need to put the bracket on upside down like the PO or can I just put it in the "firmer" position? I don't want to do it two more times if I don't have to. |
88v8 Ivor Duarte Gloucestershire UK (1050 posts) Registered: 02/11/2010 04:29AM Main British Car: 1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8 |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
Mmm, what a pain.
It depends on your spring travel. Presumably got bent because the suspension bottomed out onto the shock. The shock must never bottom out. Measure the closed shock length, then measure the distance from the top to bottom mounts that will exist when the suspension is on the bump stop. Ivor |
skootch13 aaron kuertz cincinnati (31 posts) Registered: 06/30/2020 01:50PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB Rover 4.6 (I'm told) |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
Hmmm.
Seems like flipping the mount upside down is just goinog to make the shock bottom out and bend the bracket again. And to put the shocks in the "firmer" setting, i would have to remove both the passenger and driver side shock mounts and switch them. i found this article, which might actually be less effort than pulling the shock mounts and reinstalling them [www.britishv8.org] I assume that longer part of the spring goes to the front of the car and the shorter (after cutting) part of the spring goes to the rear. Edit: I don't understand how the traction bar attaches to the car. Doesn't it have to be secured to the body of the car? The article makes it sound like you just put the center bolt back in and you are done. Am I missing something? Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/07/2020 09:15AM by skootch13. |
MGBV8 Carl Floyd Kingsport, TN (4556 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 11:32PM Main British Car: 1979 MGB Buick 215 |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
Stock style MGB rear suspension is prone to wheel hop. Bill Guzman's half leaf spring is a good alternative to traction bars. Yes, the longer part goes to the front.
Make sure your shocks are not too long. |
BlownMGB-V8 Jim Blackwood 9406 Gunpowder Rd., Florence, KY 41042 (6498 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 12:59PM Main British Car: 1971 MGB Blown,Injected,Intercooled Buick 340/AA80E/JagIRS |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
I found that adding an extra full length leaf eliminated the wheel hop and stiffened the suspension nicely.
Jim |
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mgb260 Jim Nichols Sequim,WA (2479 posts) Registered: 02/29/2008 08:29PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8 |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
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skootch13 aaron kuertz cincinnati (31 posts) Registered: 06/30/2020 01:50PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB Rover 4.6 (I'm told) |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
What am I getting myself into in the job to add this spring?
I got a set of old springs and I had to cut the center bolt to take the leafs apart. The springs on my car are low mile and no rust. Am I going to have to again cut the bolt to get the bottom spacer leaf off so I can add the longer leaf? Here is a video of what I am afraid is going to happen. [www.youtube.com] |
mgb260 Jim Nichols Sequim,WA (2479 posts) Registered: 02/29/2008 08:29PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB roadster 260 Ford V8 |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
Aaron, You wouldn't believe how many don't flip the lower mounts. You wont have to remove the center bolt on your existing springs. You simply sandwich your helper spring between your existing spring and lower bracket.
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MGBV8 Carl Floyd Kingsport, TN (4556 posts) Registered: 10/23/2007 11:32PM Main British Car: 1979 MGB Buick 215 |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
No. That smallest leaf (what Bill Guzman calls the "support leaf") does not go back on at all. It is replaced with the new offset leaf.
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skootch13 aaron kuertz cincinnati (31 posts) Registered: 06/30/2020 01:50PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB Rover 4.6 (I'm told) |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
Yeah, Carl. i figured that out as soon as I dove into the job.
Passenger side is on. Only 3.5 hours. i think I did every step bassackward. With mistake number one being I did not remove the wheel. I spent way too much time trying to get the lower spring pan on. Finally got over my stubbornness and removed the wheel. I was done in 30 minutes after that. I bet the driver's side is done in an hour. |
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skootch13 aaron kuertz cincinnati (31 posts) Registered: 06/30/2020 01:50PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB Rover 4.6 (I'm told) |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
Been a lot of salt recently. I may be able to get out this weekend and drive it to see how the car handles now.
I was lucky, the springs are very new so the nuts came off easy and I could reuse them. I was afraid I was going to have to cut the bolts off and use new ones. |
88v8 Ivor Duarte Gloucestershire UK (1050 posts) Registered: 02/11/2010 04:29AM Main British Car: 1974 Land Rover Lightweight V8 |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
For a couple of years, I had a Silver Shadow. Every fastener on that car was rusted. Arrrgh.
I always put marine grease, or copper slip, on external bolts. Saves a lot of bother. Ivor |
skootch13 aaron kuertz cincinnati (31 posts) Registered: 06/30/2020 01:50PM Main British Car: 1973 MGB Rover 4.6 (I'm told) |
Re: MGB Wheel Hop
I finally got to go for a test run. I dumped the clutch from 3-4k rpms several times. The trac bars work as advertised.
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