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MG MGB Technical - Spax conversion - how to ??

Hi
Yes I know - DON'T DO IT

But I already have the kit (second hand and didn't cost a fortune) and the front O/S shock is sitting in a puddle of oil. The car shakes violently at any thing over 55 mph.
The car (78 RB)is also my daily drive, so I had to push bike to work today. So I need it back on the road ASAP.
Well I have no instuctions, but understand the armstrong lever arm stays in place and the valve gets removed ? or the oil just gets drained ? (Depending which bit of archive you read ???) I don't know how to do either and the manuals don't tell me anything about the shock either. - Wher is the valve ? do i need to replace it with a blanking piece ? of do I just drain the oil.

This forms part of one of theose jobs I wish I had never started....I just wanted to put lowered springs on the front, but the fulcrum pins were seized...then the brass bush came out with the pin so they have been replaced, and I may aswell do the bushes while its apart, one looks a bit suss, and there is that clunk sometimes... New track rod ends so I can put the alloys on when i have finished paiting them...and the steering gator is split so I may aswell replace that one...now the shock looks dicey, so I may aswell fit that spax kit now seeing as its sat in the shed..
Its just spiralled into a full front end rebuild, and i'm back to my pushbike !

Thanks for any advice on how to fit them.

Rich
R I Jones

This comment is not about the conversion (don't know how to do it) but on the shaking violently at anything over 55. Is the shaking happening on smooth roads? I don't believe that's a sign of worn shocks, sounds more like wheel bearings or unbalanced tires. My 74.5 "B"s shocks are a past their prime, leaking etc., and need to be replaced, however, the only time I experience any shaking is when the road becomes potholed or rutted, then I feel the steering wheel come alive.
John

im not sure about about spax, ive recently had a spax rear conversion .they are noisy daren
daren

The Shaking is pretty violent. It takes palce on a smooth road surface at 55+, and it doesn't seem to abate if I go faster, it gets far worse.
The shock is obviously leaking oil,and has free play to start with before smooth, normal operation.
I have just offered up the spax kit, and it appears to run pretty vertical. Fitting looks (touch wood) straight forward. I just need to find and remove the oil of valve.
Cheers
Rich
R I Jones

Good luck Rich - Give us a call if you need an (urgent) hand tonight... No tips I'm afaid...

Stoo
Stuart Robson

Bad U-joints.
Dan Robinson

Well the night draws to a close and my car is still not back on the road :(
The "oh no this bush won't need reaming",bottom pivot bush that the local MG garage sold me - Guess what firstly its impossible to fit without damaging it, secondly, you guessed it it needs reaming for the um "pivot tube" to fit inside it. Grrrrrrrrrrrrr
Add to that the duff V8 bushes they sold me that set me back a few more hours, it hasn't been a good excercise. I'm rapidly loosing faith in the local MG shop.
Well if i can get it reamed tommorow I might make it to classic car night at the Ace cafe. Unlikely as i'm at work all day, with only a bicycle for transport.
A word of advice for any one considering replacing top or bottom pivots or the king pin itself -DON'T DO IT - buy a complete king pin and stub axle spend a bit more cash but save yourself 72 hours of grief !
cheers - night
Rich

R I Jones

The valve is a hex nut I think 7/8" located under the shock near the outer end (end toward the wheels) of the shock body. When you remove the valve assembly most of the oil will also run out.
Look in my Yahoo photos for a photo of the damper valve
http://photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos
Click on the MGB shock album then click on the damper valve assembly photo. All the parts on the right are removed and the nut with seal on the left is screwed back into the shock. I have never made this conversion but I would think you want to keep oil in the shock for lubrication. If the seals are leaking the oil may not stay, there are some moving parts in the shock, they may bind without some lubrication.
Hope this helps.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

Excelent, thats what i needed to know. So is the bolt on the underside of the shock - ie I need to remove it to get access to it. Then is it the same bolt that goes back in, without a valve behind it ? Or do i need to buy another ?
Unfortunately the link didn't work, so I can't have a look at the photos.
I'm off up the road at lunch time to see if a local engineering company can ream out the bush for me. Fingers crossed.

Cheers
Rich
R I Jones

Rich, Sorry the link doesn't work for you. Install same plug you removed, just remove the valve components to disable the shock.

Clifton
Clifton Gordon

Brilliant thankyou

Cheers
Rich
R I Jones

Check out the July 04 issue of retro cars. They have a very comprehensive step by step photo guide on how to fit bot the front and rear shocks courtesy of the MGB hive. If you're really desperate i might be able to scan it in and email it to you.

joe
J P Connor

Well a successful trip to the engineering shop. They are going to machine the bush out to suit the insert. I can collect it this evening after work.
So it seems Cinderella might go to the ball, solong as i can get the thing back together this evening, I'll see some of you at the Ace Cafe tonight.
Cheers
Rich
R I Jones

This thread was discussed between 11/04/2005 and 12/04/2005

MG MGB Technical index

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