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MG MGA - rear suspension

Hi all,
I need some help.When I'm crossing a road bump the top bolts from rear suspension links hits the body.It hits the outside corner of the boot.I would think that the bump rubbers should prevent this.Can it be that I am using the wrong links?
If the springs are sagging I should expect that the axle hits the bump stops and preventing that the suspension arms hit the body.
Can any one give the length from the links, center to center.
Any advice or help is more than welcome.

Thanks,

Herman
H. Jorens

I measured my shock absorber links not so long ago and they measured 8.5" centre to centre. I'm not sure whether they are original or not.
When the car is ready for the road the springs should have zero camber i.e. flat. Another way of checking if the springs are sagging is to measure across the rubber strap mounting centres. If this is 7 to 7.5" I reckon your springs are good.
There is approximately 1.5" from the axle to the top rubber mounting block and the same distance down before the slack in the rubber strap is taken up.
Also in this fully loaded situation it seems logical to me that the shock absorber arm will be perfectly horizontal.........................Mike
m.j. moore

Mike,
Seems to be OK.Links are 8.5", the mounting strap centres are 7.5".Camber is appr. zero.shock arm is appr horizontal.Distance between axle and bump rubber is 1.7".But the distance between the top of the upper nut connecting the link with the shock and the boot floor is only 1".
Should the upper nut from the link pass alongside the side of the boot?
At my car the nut is touching the boot corner for 0.25" so when I'm crossing a road bump wich is a bit steeper than average the nut hits the boot.The speed is the same as another MGA.
So what is wrong??
Herman


H. Jorens

Is there enough fluid in your shocks? Just asking...

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

Are you sure they are MGA shocks? MGB shocks used on an MGA will do exactly what you describe.
John DeWolf

Hi,
Think I found the problem.I had my shocks renewed on exchange basis.But I have two more spare MGA rear shocks.So I started to measure.When I put an original shock flat on the workbench and I measure the distance from the mounting flange to the outer face of the shock arm I measure 65mm(2.56").If I do the same with the shocks on the car I measure 85mm(3.35").And that is the reason that the bolt is touching the boot side.With the good shocks the bolt will pass by the side of the boot and all is OK.
So I don't know but if the shock arms for an MGA and an MGB are different in the bend then John could be wright.
I will change them this evening and see what it gives.
Thanks for the information.

Herman
H. Jorens

Herman, A few more measurements for you:-

1. I measure 3.75 inches from the inside face of the frame to the end of the main s/a axle.
2. If you drop a vertical from the inside frame face then it is 3.25" from this to the end of the link nut.
3. My s/a arm is 5" from main axle centre to link centre. ..............Mike
m.j. moore

MGA shocks have a larger offset in the arms than MGB. I did the same thing, picking the best shocks from a pile of parts
John DeWolf

The difference in the offset between A and B rear shocks is basically the thickness of the arms... about a half inch. Using the numbers of the shocks, found stamped on the lower edge of the mounting "ear" bosses, MGA would read 6066 (RH or LH) and MGB would be 8178 or 12025. The link for both are stamped 6144.

Peter C
Peter Caldwell

Hi,

The problem is solved.
Thanks to the info from Mike I knew that my springs are not sagging.And the info from John made me start thinking and measuring.
I just have changed the shocks with the ones I have as a spare(and leaking)and now everything fits like it should.Now I know the difference between A and B shocks, the bent in the A arms is bigger then in the B arms and so the upper link bolts are touching the boot if you use B arms in an A.
Next time I will look for the numbers stamped in the shocks.
So thank you guys, I will touch up the paint this evening and take it for a ride tomorrow.

Regards,
Herman
H. Jorens

This thread was discussed on 27/04/2012

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