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MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Composite springs too soft ...?

Last year I purchased second-hand a set of the British Automotive composite springs. They give a much, much smoother ride and they give exactly the correct CB ride height but they are too soft -- the back of the car goes up and down like a land yacht. Any easy fixes?
Terrence

I had just the same problem and I talked to Doug Jackson, who made me up a set of prototype tube shocks with coil-over "helper" springs. After putting them on (it's very easy), I would characterize the ride as perfect: a bit stiffer but still very supple. I put them in along with his traction bars and couldn't be happier. A picture is at

http://home.earthlink.net/~davidd_dt/rearsuspRHS_10-02.JPG
David

Terrence, On my V-8 I chance the load, in & behind my G.T. ALL the time & What I have found that work very well is a set of air shocks! If I through a 4 cyl. motor (350 l.b.s.) I just pump them up to the ride height I need & off we go, if I put the M/C trailer behind me with 3 BRITISH bikes (1400 l.b.s.), pump it up & off I go & it still rides great with no bottom bang.
Glenn Towery

Terrence,
If the ride height is OK and the ride generally is too then I would look more to the shocks needing either refresh or an upgrade.
Maybe the leaf springs were doing some of the work of the shocks before.
Perhaps a set of Koni or similar to replace the lever arms my be worth a look.

Cheers, Pete.
Peter Thomas

The friction inherent in multi-leaf springs is acting as a kind of damper - before even friction dampers leaf springs were bound with cord or leather as damping - which you lose with a composite. Maybe a case where adjustable tubulars really would be useful, instead of having to have them on their softest setting with standard springs in order to retain one's fillings.
Paul Hunt

Glenn,

What are the specs of air shocks, are you using them front and rear, can you adjust overall ride height and how does handling, without towing, compare to normal shocks?

Paul
Paul

This thread was discussed between 27/10/2002 and 28/10/2002

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