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MG MGB Technical - Axle locating devices

My '69 B-GT has long needed a little help keeping the rear end laterally in line. I run really wide tires and drive pretty hard mostly on vintage rally type events.

I've been looking at fitting a panhard rod but recently came across two other setups that claim to help.

One is Moss Motors kit Axle locating kit which just replaces the rubber (or in my case urethane) leaf spring bushings with solid bronze bushings. The idea is simple, cheapest of them all, and makes sense, but it seems like it might give a pretty rough (even by my low standards) ride, and I've bent shackles before and this seems like it would stress the shackles even more.

The other option was made by Fab-Tek, a cool vintage racing company, and it essentially replaces the spring pads with solid locating devices. This setup sounds even better as it seems like it would have less affect on comfort but still help eliminate unnecessary play, and it is also relatively inexpensive. Plus I've owned many leaf sprung vehicles, and none of them MGB excepted, have had pads between the spring and axle.

And of course the Panhard rod which has always been appealing, although I've heard some complain of different handling characteristics in left and right turns.

Just wanted to hear from folks on what they've used and liked or disliked.


-Bill
Bill Mertz

I got a panhard rod from Pete Mantrell and its great quality and superb customer service.
Tony
Tony Bates

Tony,
Pete is who I would be working with as well. My question for you is how is the setup actually working out for you?

-Bill
Bill Mertz

Bill-
I've been running a Panhard rod on my car for years. As long as it is mounted parallel to the rear axle the differences on left and right turns is very minimal. Front and rear stabilizer bars will reduce the differences to the point that they're all but neglible.
Steve S.

Bill,

Changing to solid bronze bushings or spring pads will help with locating the rear axle but the problem of side loading on the springs and related hardware still remains.

A Panhard rod will help take this side loading off the springs allowing them to do what they are intended to do…act as springs not axle locators.

It will need to be as long as possible (about 36 inches or so for a ‘B rear end) and be strongly supported at the body fixing.
Even a modest car like the ‘B weighing about 2200 lbs on the road will apply some 800+ pound of sideways thrust on road tyres to the rear axle in a corner.

Odd cornering behaviour can be directly attributed to poor engineering and normally to the Panhard rod being too short or not located at the correct height.

There are detailed discussions on this topic in the archives so I will leave you to seek what best suits you application.

Cheers , Pete.
Peter Thomas

Bill,
I haven't fitted it yet so cannot tell you how it works. I bought the one from Pete as I heard lots of great things from other users and t's well engineered, long rod and solid bracketry.
I have attached a couple of pics.
BTW, I am down in San Jose area, so feel free to caome and have a look at the panhard if you want to.
Tony
408 666 6174

Tony Bates

Picture 2
Tony

Tony Bates

Thanks for the comments everyone.
Tony I've been in touch with Pete, and he has been really helpful. I'm running a wire wheel axle with four bolt hubs so he is going to put together a hybrid kit (four bolt kit with wire wheel length rod). He said aside from rod length the only difference is there are some spacers for the wire wheel kit to raise the axle (lower the car), which I don't think I need.

The pictures look great and I think I might just order up the kit.

cheers,

-Bill
Bill Mertz

This thread was discussed between 20/05/2008 and 22/05/2008

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