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 MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical - Widening Front Suspension.

For all you suspension guru's, I intend using Sebring arches on my V8 GT (Rubber Bumper Car) I have 6 x 15 wheels with 195/65 x15 tyres so to fill the wheel arches would it be technically ok to widen the top and bottom wishbones (modified suspension)by approx 2" to achieve this. Obviously the steering rods would need lengthening by the same amount to keep the steering geometry correct.Look forward to your comments

Kevin Jackson.
K.R Jackson

Kevin,

A simpler and much cheaper solution would be to fit spacers to the wheels (presumably you will also be doing the same on the rear). I had some wide spacers on my wheels for a while (Vitesse calipers don't fit standard MGB wheels without them).They are available through car accessory shops.

The downside was that I snapped a stud by not tightening them up sufficiently, and it probably puts a lot more load on the hub bearings, but if you do not intend to do big mileages, it might be a solution.

Mike
Michael barnfather

I would not advise widening the suspension by adding material to the control arms. The increased leverage distance would require new springs, probably custom made to get the right rating. If you really have to widen the front, then I would advise modifying the crossmember and leaving the control arms alone. Wheel spacers would move the tires out, but 1 to 2" per side is far outside the realm of safety for this solution. It would place undue stress on the studs and bearings. Just break down and buy wider wheels and tires, you'll be much happier and safer in the end.
Bill Young

195 X 65 X 15 don't sound wide enough for Sebring arches. Even if you do extend the suspension somehow. Sebring arches are huge and really warrant 215 or 225 IMO.

What about an alternative to Sebring arches ? Perhaps taking your car to a body shop and having different arches "made" (for example http://www.entune2000.co.uk/gall17/gall17.htm ) ? Unless of course you are specifically after the Sebring look.

Jim
j w mcglynn

Kevin,

Surely the safest and easiest method would be to buy another set of wheels with a different offset ?

Cheers

Pete
PJ Mantell

Thanks for your comments guys but what I had in mind was using the HFormoyle double wihbone & coil over front set up and getting him to incease the wishbone lengths
maintaining the basic geometry but probably setting the suspension with probably 1.5 degrees of negative camber. In theory the longer wishbones should reduce the amount of camber change during bump and rebound and provide a stable suspension package. I also did not want to increase the wheel and tyre package which would make the steering excessively heavy, increase the unsprung weight on what is a small and reasonably light car.With larger tyres you would have to run at lower tyre pressures to maintain the tyre contact patch which would make the steering even heavier,For the raer what i have in mind is using a TR7 axle which I belive is approx 5" wider than the B' axle and installing the SD1 diff which I already have. any further comments on my theories would be welcome.

Kevin.
K.R Jackson

Kevin,

I assume that is Hoyle front system- have you discussed with him, if so any feedback and this system has adjustable camber.

Contact patch will not materially change, same tyre pressure same car weight.

King pin offset may change but very little if extending wishbones, a diff wheel offset would not mean a change in tyre size or weight, but will cahnge king pin offset.

So you could use diff wheel offset on front to rear, depends on your view on rotatation of tyres and carrying spare, or use same offset at both ends and stick with B rear axle.

Paul
Paul

Kevin,

Per this site you would be looking at 0 or neg offset to push tyres out by 1in +

http://www.superlite-wheels.com/technical.html

Paul
Paul

I've got 205/60-15 mounted on 15x8 Minilites on my '77 roadster/Sebring V8 project and they fill the new fenders nicely. Probably could fit 215's on the back but I didn't want wider on the front for clearance issues. Stock suspension front and back except for lowered springs.

Cheers
Simon
Simon Austin

Hi,

Does anybody know where to get the cheapest wheels for Sebring, Alloys ofcourse?

I calculated the dimensions and don't want to go to 15x8 ET 0 as this is to heavy and unsteerable on my car. Considering 15x7 J ET -12 as equal widening option.

Regards,

Jos.
Jos

This thread was discussed between 13/04/2004 and 19/04/2004

MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB GT V8 Factory Originals Technical BBS now