MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG TD TF 1500 - The ARB blues - only LH side parts?

Once more I have to ask the experts,

My saturday started with the seasons first trip in the TF.
+4 degrees Celcius, overcast and chilly, but still a moment of
joy! A new Tourist Trophy SS exhaust system created a much more mellow and low pitched sound that the old one, which was badly corroded, and my Mojaveheater ensured my feet were warm.

Coming home I jacked up the car, had some coffee and watched LaVernes three ARB installation videos once more. I then proceeded to the garage and disassembled the RH side front suspension. Swapped spring pan and reassembled with new polyurethane bushings only to discover that the ant roll bar links are identical, not paired. I believ I have received two LH links from the british dealer. Please see enclosed photo and consider if you agree. Thank you!

regards,

Jan

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Yep...one of them is not going to work.
MG LaVerne

Thank you LaVerne. I have sent an email to the supplier asking him to send me the missing RH link.

regards

Jan

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Left? Right? On his video, LaVerne strongly points out that the short side of the trapezoid must be at the bottom. Look at the images below. The labels say LH and RH. How can the piece with the LH label not be on the A-arm with the short side down? Yes, the label on that one says RH. At least the links are labelled correctly. Good old Moss. Thank you again for the videos, LaVerne. Bud

Bud Krueger

Closeup. Must admit that I bought them through LBCarCo. Bud

Bud Krueger

Which side of the trapezoid should be down is an interesting question. My MGB wishbone arms came from Peter Edney, and are marked off side and near side. According to that I will have the broad side facing down. This is as shown in drawings in the Moss MGB catalogue, and in the Haynes restoration manual for MGB (2nd edition) by Lindsay Porter. The jury is still out on this issue?

regards

Jan

Pic: Moss MGB catalogue

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

2. pic, from the Haynes MGB manual.

regards

Jan

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

I've seen the A Arm's mounted both ways on what I believe were untouched cars. I don't really don't think it makes much difference.
MG LaVerne

Considering the not very substantial nuts and bolts holding the spring pan and A arms together i tend to agree with you LaVerne. (And thats why I followed your advice and found a set of B spring pans on Ebay ( for 20 GBP) so that the more substantial ARB link bolt would have the support it should have in the B type eared pans)

One more question; I understand from your videos that you decide where on the dumb irons to make holes for the ARB clamps when the suspension is fully loaded, i.e. with both front wheels firmly on the floor - or on jacks with the A arms being horisontal?

I would also be grateful if you have som pics of your way of solving the conflict between the dual Windtone horns and the ARB clamps on a TF.

Thank you,

regards, Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Decided to take the issue to my all time favorite T-car guru, Lawrie Alexander. Here's his response:
******
Hi Bud,

My '78 B is factory original ( just over 40K miles, never disturbed) and the long side of the trapezoid is at the bottom of the wishbone (opposite the picture you attached).
******

That solves it for me. Long side at the bottom. Bud
Bud Krueger

Jan there is a descripion on Bud's Ttalk site about the horn issue.

http://www.ttalk.info/LEDTFBar.htm

Looks like I have the long piece down on the TF but I don't believe it's going to make any difference either way.
MG LaVerne

Thank you again LaVerne. A new and correct sway bar link is now in the mail from my supplier, so things look brighter today. I must say that dismantling the A arms and spring pans was easy after having watched your videos. Fitted new poly bushes with inner steel sleeves while at it. I really look forward to find out if the ARB mod is as useful as many of you say :-)

- and where would I be without this list? In deep s.....

Regards

Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Jan, where are located in Norway? I will be in Oslo in June. Contact me off line at efhask99 at gmail dot com. Maybe we can get together? (I'm the guy who owns the TD in LaVerne's video.)
Ed
efh Haskell

Jan - where did you find poly bushings with the steel sleeves? The B-V8 bushing is rubber in a steel sleeve.

Thanks.

Tom Lange
MGT Repair
t lange

Ed,

I live in Oslo, so maybe I could take you for a scenic drive in my TF etc? I will send you an email off list.

LaVerne,

I bought this KIt from Moss UK. The kit is not cheap but seems to be high quality, and the fit was excellent. I have made a screenshot of the Moss catalogue;

regards

Jan

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

They come from an Australian compact, came in this sealed bag

Regards

Jan

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

I have replaced the MGB GT V8 bushes with these poly bushes, they are good quality but I was disappointed with the handling of the car. I found that it has a lot more roll. My options are either to revert to the MG B GT bushes or fit an anti roll bar. I think that I will go for the first.

John

52 TD
J Scragg

Sounds like bad news to me. I am installing an ARB to reduce roll!
Anyhow, I do not believe that the rubber bushings were intended to reduce roll by introducing friction in the movement of the A arm/spring pan assembly?

Regards

Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

I've started the installation and am learning new things every day. Today I saw why the OEM installation is with the wide side down. The reinforced mounting hole in the MGB A-arm is not centered on the holes for the screws that attach the A-arms to the spring pans. The large hole on the side of the spring pan is offset in the same direction. Installing with the narrow side down will cause a tilt of the front of the spring pan. The images below of of a RH A-arm, an MGB spring pan and a TD A-arm.

On a DIY-basis, without a lift, I would put this job right in there with the pedal shaft. Bud

Bud Krueger

Good catch Bud. Maybe you can overlay a correction on the video. :-) I did the TF with out the lift. Didn't seem so bad to me but I was in a little better shape back then to. Hope you find it worth the effort.
MG LaVerne

Will do, LaVerne. I bought a program called Wondershare to edit in the copyright info. I should be able to add the orientation info.
I need to add another floor jack under the brake drum. In the meantime I'll watch the videos at least four more more times. Thanks for making them. Bud
Bud Krueger

Finally, tonight, the anti roll bar is firmly in situ on my TF. Nothing binds,bar does not interfere with steering rods and I am ready to rock and roll tomorrow!

Thank you to everone who has commented and given valuable input to me, a true amateur. I will report back on driving impressions after a test ride!

regards,

Jan

Jan Emil Kristoffersen

LaVerne is right!!! Small side of the trapezoid should be on the lower side. I just finished installing mine on Lazarus (my '52TD). I did it with the long side down. Looking at the images that I posted a couple of days ago you can see that the link hole is offset from the centerline by about 1/4 of an inch. When I finished the assembly I found that the link was just about touching the tie rod seal. If I had assembled it with the short side down I would have gained about 1/2 an inch in height and would have avoided the interference. The OEM setup, with the long side down is probably right for installing in an MGB. Sorry to have questioned your expertise, LaVerne. Bud
Bud Krueger

I don't know what's correct but my spring pan and A arm lined up perfectly so that the ARB link could be easily inserted as well as the distal ends of th A arms lining up. I have used an MGB spring pan and A arm, and broad base of reinforcement down did the trick for me

Regards,

Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Jan, your above image shows some very short links. What are they from? The ones I installed are the standard MGB links. Bud
Bud Krueger

I don't think so Bud... and I'm no expert... I think the geometry will be screwed up if you put the small end down and the pan won't sit correctly. You can get it together but I don't think it will be right.

I have to look at the video again and if thats what we did with Ed's TD I think we should probably change it.
MG LaVerne

Yep just looked at it...explains the difficulty getting the bolt through the lower swivel. When Ed gets a chance we need to correct that.
MG LaVerne

Uh oh! See you in early April LaVerne! Is it safe to drive this way??
Ed
efh Haskell

Okay, LaVerne, I'll trust your judgement and eagerly await the disappearance of the snow bank in front of the garage door so that I can try it out. Bud
Bud Krueger

Yep Ok Ed.. but we need to get them changed. Sorry.
MG LaVerne

Hello Bud,

Those links are mgb links cut down and welded. Got them from Peter Edney, uk supplier.

Regards, Jan
Jan Emil Kristoffersen

Aha! So that's what they look like. Thanks, Jan. Bud
Bud Krueger

I got mine from Peter Edney as well Bud here is a pic. I don't plan to tighten anything down or permanently mount the bushings until I get the engine back in the car.

Rich (TD 3983) Taylor

Had to try it. Broke through the snow from in front of the garage and took Lazarus out for a birthday spin (not his, mine #80). Was only about 40F, but the roads were clean and the sun was shining. Didn't get a chance to try a sharp curve, but what I did experience seemed fine. Here's a shot of the spacing between the link and the tie rod. Close, but not touching at full lock. Bud

Bud Krueger

Good news Bud...Happy B day to you and hopefully some more road testing of the ARB soon.
MG LaVerne

This thread was discussed between 07/03/2015 and 26/03/2015

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG TD TF 1500 BBS now