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MG TD TF 1500 - TD/C Sway Bar: Addco/Moss Hybrid

We just finished installing a sway bar in our TD/C, with good results. The geometry is such that nothing quite works from stock, so we modified a Moss Motors 5/8" MGB bar by cutting off end bushings, and welding a piece of flat bar drilled to accommodate the Addco bushing set up. I like the straightforward design of the Addco bracket and bushing, but their bars were too thick (3/4" and 7/8"), and did not have the bends of the Moss unit that facilitates getting around the Andrex shocks.

I used the 5/8" bar rather than a thicker one because I wanted to keep the loads down. This is the bar that Peter Edney uses, and I figured they probably know what they are doing. Long story short, it works really well and causes no steering weirdness.

The photo below shows most of the components. We reinforced the dumb-irons with 1/8" plate with a single gusset (they are on the wrong sides in the photo).


J Barry

Close up of the working end parts.

J Barry

Reinforcing plate, passenger side.

J Barry

Hard to see, but this is the general configuration.

J Barry

The bracket has to be configured in the low position in order for the bushing assembly to not interfere with the steering arm. The sway bar holes were off by about 3/8", but the bar can be bent without difficulty. We used the crook of handy tree trunk for bending.

J Barry

Finally, we added a spacer under the front bushing to improve the geometry. The dumb-iron reinforcements were bolted through the fender walls and dumb-iron verticals. Holes are best drilled in place - the pre-drilled holes were a mistake.

As many others have said, the modification greatly improves handling. Body roll is almost non-existent. I think the 5/8" diameter was a good call.

Jim
J Barry

Sorry, forgot to add the last photo.

J Barry

Best investment you've ever made in that car!
efh Haskell

Jim - please contact me off-line. Thanks.

Tom Lange
tlange@acadia.net
t lange

This thread was discussed on 12/02/2020

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