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 MGF Technical - Air Bag Suspension kit to convert an MGF

Hi everybody, have a Merry Christmas in advance.
I would like to know if itīs possible to convert MGF Hydrolastic suspension to an Air Bag Suspension... an avoid all hydro-spheres problems...


for example this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-FB-Air-Bag-Kit-Suspension-Ride-S10-Chevy-Bodydrop-Rod_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4cec5f63b7QQitemZ330383188919QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Thanks and best regards.

Eduardo.
Eduard Miro

I am not sure that anyone has ever tried this - but in principle, there is no particular reason why an MGF couldn't be so converted. As to whether that kit on ebay is the one to use - I am not sure - but it doesn't look like it is. This appears to be an auxillary airbag kit that would be used on "Low riders" to adjust suspension height rather than be used as a suspension media on its own.

I don't have no experience with this kind of kit, so it might be worth asking around...
Rob Bell

This sort of of air spring will be meant to replace a coil spring, where it acts on a suspension arm much nearer the wheel than is the case with the Hydragas system. This has to react a much higher load because it acts so much closer to the inner end of the suspension arm. The spring medium in Hydragas is mainly the rubber, not the gas or fluid, so these air springs would almost certainly be too soft.
Mike Cunningham

""The spring medium in Hydragas is mainly the rubber""?
No it isn't there is no rubber suspension element at all. ALL the suspension is due to the gas that is contained in the spheres. The fluid is for the transmission of force. As you are perhaps aware liquid will NOT compress.

The air bags may or may not be powerful enough I am not sure, however the problem would be keeping up air pressure as this type of suspension would be continually filling and venting air that would require constant air compressor use. Most Heavy goods vehicles use these air bags and they have a compressor that is power all the time from the engine. The system advertised is used to simply do tricks with hot rods and I suspect simple run the compressor from the battery whilst doing ticks.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

Sorry, I was in too much of a hurry to finish the message to double check. The high leverage ratio is still a good reason these air springs won't work. If you get airsprings on a Mercedes, does it have a compressor? I suspect so in order to alter the ride height at different speeds - not appropriate for MG perhaps.
Mike Cunningham

These firestone airbags are used in remotely operated vehicle hydraulic systems as hydraulic reservoirs and so have been proved to be capable of use in fluid systems. Add to this the use of non-seperated gas and hydraulic damper systems used on aircraft landing gear, and this suggestion starts to look more interesting!!!!!!
R Gilbertson

This thread was discussed between 09/12/2009 and 15/12/2009

MG MGF Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGF Technical BBS now