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MG MGF Technical - ride height

Hi
I have had my 1999 mgf for about a year but the ride height has always been low (325). i have no excess wear on the tyres and handles ok. Only problem is it grounds some times. How can I tell if it has been lowered or if the suspension needs pumping up. Looking through the archive the best height seems to be 355?
Thanks
Steve
Steve pavey

Steve

Ride height should be 368mm at front wheels.

Only way to tell if lowered easily is to speak to PO.

Jason
Jay Smith

Hi Steve,

Just spent an hour or so adding 10mm to my track car, for the same reason...

You can identify whether shorter pins have been fitted by how tightly concertina'd the rubber gaiter is, if you can take a pic and post it somewhere, the BBS eyes will be able to confirm. 325mm is very low, and for you to not have suffered inside edge wear is remarkable - I'd be interested to know what the geometry is set to currently.

The lowering pins are approx 20mm shorter, so if they've been fitted then 345mm is the 'standard', any lower and you're compromising the spring rate. If the pins are standard length, 350-355mm is a good range to aim for. Low ride height=low pressure, which isn't good for ride quality.

Mike Hankin

Excuse my ignorance as I am new to this MGF lark but
where do you measure the ride height from/to.

My car seems to be down a bit on the rear drivers side,
but on the other hand the rear passengers side may be too high, but I am not sure how to tell the difference!

Bob
R Appleton

Bob
The measurement is taken from the centre of the front wheel to the front wheel arch lip.

Tony
Tony Harrison

Just been and measured them...
355mm at both front wheels
345mm Passenger rear
330mm drivers rear

Do I need to pump them up?
R Appleton

Bob, the hydragas system self-levels front to rear, so if the fronts are identical then the rear is largely irrelevant. Possible the difference you measured was due to variable level of the ground? A concrete slab floor of a garage is about the only place I can get an absolute symmetry. However, if one corner is definitely lower than the rest, that sphere may have begun to fail - see Dieter's encyclopaedic site for more info http://www.mgfcar.de/index.htm

355mm in this speed-hump infested world is a practicable height, and won't be too far off optimum fluid pressure so no need to change IMHO. Bear in mind that changing the ride height impacts on the geometry, so you'll need to have a full 4-wheel alignment setup done too, otherwise you may be shopping for new tyres more often than you'd like...
Mike Hankin

This thread was discussed between 14/04/2007 and 17/04/2007

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