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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Frontline Suspension Shocks

Hi, new to posting here but have lurked for quite a while so know the 'regular' contributors and have been grateful for second hand advice.
I have a midget for classic rallying which has the frontline suspension fitted and have a couple of questions as this is new to me....does/should the top link have a wee bit of play in the horizontal plane?
The replacement AVO adjustable shockers are just that at around £300....is there a cheaper source or alternative manufacturer to match?

For my sins I also run a second midget which is closer to a standard road car and it has the single lever arm front suspension---after a rally the round drop link joints of the anti roll bar have lost their paint and are polished metal caused by rubbing on the inside of the tyre....does everyone else see this effect?
The car does come under a fair bit of stress and pics show the front wheel tucking under a bit during hard cornering, the tyres are 155/80 so not overly wide.
The top bushes are a bit shot so will change these ASAP in the hope it tightens things up a bit---what do you think?
The midgets are excellent for this classic rallying malarkey and I can highly recommend having a go. There are quite a few events up north and it is great fun in a midget.
John.
J Sloan

Hi John

Horizontal play - no, there shouldn't be any. If there is, the bush is worn and has probably worn the bottom threaded pin as well. The bushes are replaceable.

Shocks might be cheaper from AVO direct. I've used GAZ ones for a mini (not on a FL kit) - I could find some measurements if you like and they are about 30 quid each I think

polished ARB joints, yep, had that. I fitted a spacer to the lock stop (screwed to the disc back plate) and that's fixed that

Wheel tuck under solved by more -ve camber, harder springs or harder ARB. Not sure what effect that might have on the handling for rallying though.

I don't rally mine, but have done a few TDs. What other mods have you made to enable the car to survive?

Rob Armstrong

I think with shocks you get what you pay for. On my ZS I fitted a set of Gaz coilovers at around £1000 the set, more recently discovered that some other competitors are fitting 3-way shocks at around £1000 per corner!
David Smith

By complete co-incidence I was at Frontline yesterday as I had trashed my rear shocks. (installation Error on my part)
Both Tim & Ed worked on my car, and from talking to them and seeing how they both work I reckon that not only do they know their stuff, but they would not have chosen AVO shocks without being reassured of there quality. This to me backs up Davids statement of 'get what you pay for'
On the test drive after fitting Tim set the adjustments on front and back and the car was miles better on my return journey.
So, if you needed some additional advice OP, you could do a lot worse than contact them, albeit that I appreciate you are not local for a arrive and set up job.
As an aside they had a RWA midget there with a K series they had installed, with all their trick bits on it, being suspension and brakes, and apparently it runs 240BHP !! yet handles like a dream.
P Bentley

I live about 3 miles from AVO in Northampton and had to take one of my FL rear dampers back to them (under warranty). I was told FL have them under contract for the dampers so they only supply new dampers to FL. So FL set the price with their markup and Tim and Ed are great marketing and sales guys (those longer standing members here will know that description of them from me is very polite and ultra diplomatic).
Nigel Atkins

Well I am glad my experience was more positive Nigel.
P Bentley

John

Have you checked out to see whether Peter May Enginnering have any suspension parts that may be of use?

Thanks
MIke

PS post a pic of your rally Midget please!
M Wood

Regardless of what AVO might say about their relationship with Frontline its still worth contacting them direct. I would imagine its an off the shelf shock rather than one specially made for Frontline. Even if it is made for them just take it to AVO saying its off a special you bought and you have no idea what it is from originally.

Trev
T Mason

Check out Demon Tweeks, they do a range of generic adjustable shocks that come in various lengths and are fairly reasonably priced.
john payne

If you take a damper off and measure the open and closed lengths are around 330mm and 220mm then you want these... ;)

https://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/rover-mini-coil-over-std-length-competition-only-adjustable-front-shock-absorbers-pa238-pa238

Don't worry about the generic pic on the website.


HTH
D Prince

The horizontal play is part of the design flaws in the setup.
Either shimm out or tighten up the bolt every couple of drives.
And for wear please fit a grease nippel or teardown and grease up every winter

Original shock with a top link is a good alternative.....
Onno K

http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/p/rover-mini-coil-over-std-length-competition-only-adjustable-front-shock-absorbers-pa238-pa238


.
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

Thanks for the many responses....I expected no less!
'Morse' seem to sell the AVOs but they are on back order.
I will try to add a pic below of the two cars.
Rob, the classic rally events are like a series of autotests (usually 16 or so) on mixed surfaces. Events that we have done are the Lake District classic, Solway classic, Doonhamer, Berwick classic etc. The basic blue midget lasted very well surviving 10 of these events and around 20 autotests (double driven with the wife) before any significant problems. I fitted a Quaife LSD to make it handle a bit better on the loose (which it does) and in the next two events we broke a first gear tooth and then a half shaft. It has an Alley bar and I have fitted MX5 seats it has a LCB exhaust and a single HIF44 carb otherwise standard.

The other green car was built a few years ago mainly for classic rallying and has been successfully campaigned in Scotland and the North; heritage shell,1293 balanced engine with scatter cam, 45 Weber, plate LSD, Jack Knight dog box, low ratio diff, Frontline adjustables front and rear, fully sump guarded, inboard pipework, etc. We have only had it a few months and as yet have not rallied it. It has a completely different personality to the blue car and time will tell if I get the hang of it.

Desperately trying to get any sort of a handbrake to work on either car.....will start another thread when
I have given up completely! Thanks,John
J Sloan

J Sloan,
thanks for the update on Moss advertising the AVO. Sorry I should have put my info was from 5 years ago so was what I was told at the time, not that I disbelieve AVO, after all the chap's name was Nigel! (and other chap Ian IIRC).

By the look of the price royalties might still apply.
Nigel Atkins

J Sloan,
just remembered the point I failed to put or make clear in my first post was that AVO service/repair their dampers, a day or two turnaround IIRC so might be worth you contacting them for details(?).
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 18/08/2016 and 19/08/2016

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