Topic

Took the car out for a run today. All started well, but once it was warmed up, the suspension seemed to go very hard. I know warming up and driving will make the hyrdagas fluid expand, that answers some of it. But should I really be bouncing up and down and literally feeling every bump? I've never driven another F, so I have nothing to compare it with. Is it possible the shocks are shot and this is causing a hard ride?

I'm lucky enough to live near enough to some specialists, B&G and the MGOC head office, but I'm dubious about handing the car over and being ripped off. I have a very good tame mechanic who I trust to do all my work, just really lost with this at the moment.

The other thing I'm wondering, is the TF supaension, shocks and springs, a direct replacement and an option to consider?

First thing you need to do is check your ride height ie the measurment between centre of front wheels to top of wheel arch

For a standard f It should be 362 mm +/- 10 mm much lower than this makes for a harder ride
If the heights are ok it indicates a possible internal failure of a sphere

Martyr is right, check your ride height first, then look for loss of fluid etc on the drive

Had the ride height done when I bought it. 365mm since I pumped it and no fluid loss. Spheres sound expensive

Ebay is the place to buy them http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_pppn=v3&_kw=mgf&_kw=sphere :yesnod:

The MGOC will not "rip you off" and would look at you F and advise what you need, without the usual "sucking of teeth" and saying thats going to be expensive mate, they have gained their reputation for not doing things like that. all of the articles written by Roger Parker and the advice he gives is based on many years of knoweledge gained from working on his own MGs. His V8 conversion, coupled with Ken Costello influenced MG to produce their own production version of a V8 MGB GT and what Roger dosent know about MGFs & TFs is not worth knowing. If he said black was white i would believe him!

Brown and Gammons are mainly MG parts suppliers although Ron Gammons has raced MGs now for many years and is a well respected expert on MGs too, he replies to the questions raised by MG owners in Safety Fast (the MG Car Club magazine) and is also one of the directors of the MGCC.

The ride on your F does not sound right to me The Nitrogen gas could be lost in one or more of the spheres which would make the ride hard, because the "spring effect" has gone. this gas loss would still allow the suspension to be pumped up to the correct dimensions, because the fluid would just push the rubber diapharam to the top of the sphere. if the shock absorbers are "shot" or if adjustable, not adjusted properley, this will cause bounce, increased by the hard ride.
I think, and a lot on here will agree with me, that the ride in a properley working F is far better than the TF unless you have the later one with the comfort pack.

Tyre type and the correct pressures have a dramatic affect on the ride too as far as i recall, you have 16" wheels on your car too, which also increases the firmness of ride.

Is your Tame mechanic aware of the characteristics of the MG F suspension??

New spheres are in very short supply and the Trophy ones currently on offer on Ebay are not suitable for a standard F, the fronts are different from the rears, second hand ones are plentiful from broken up cars, but yo dont know if the gas has gone or how long they will last

The change to TF suspension, requires the front and rear subframes to be replaced too as well as springs and shock absorbers one was done about two years ago, using new subframes and suspension parts and it cost £4500.

The SUPLEX conversion kit is another option in the UK and will cost £850 for the parts plus fitting.

Pocket Motors in Poole have converted an F to TF suspension and Darryl (the owner) reckone he can do it for around the £700 mark. as you can imagine he has received a lot of enquiries.

I hope this all helps with your problems

Bryan is quite right on the spheers the only reason why you have to pump up an F is either

loss of fluid or the spheer failing

our old ref f needed pumping up every 3 years so not to bad but if its every 6 months ect then some thing is amiss

it is unusaual for a shockasorber to fail in the form of being stick solid they usualy become so weak they dont stop the suspencion from bouncing up and down

if the car it to low you could be hitting the bump stops this will cause damage to the components if not corrected

Thank you Mark, all good points, especially the bump stops

bryan young wrote: wrote:

especially the bump stops

He should know, the bump stop in our road still has his scrape mark left on it

Sorry Bryan, I wasn't suggesting that either MGOC or B&G would rip me off, although I understand that's how it looked. Your knowledge and help, along with the input from everyone else here, has been invaluable.

Once my membership comes through, I'll be contacting the MGOC to see where I go from here.

My mechanic has lots of experience with the MGF and also owned one himself in the past, but I take your point on the specialist knowledge required for the hydragas suspension.

Frostie wrote: wrote:

Sorry Bryan, I wasn't suggesting that either MGOC or B&G would rip me off, although I understand that's how it looked. Your knowledge and help, along with the input from everyone else here, has been invaluable.

Once my membership comes through, I'll be contacting the MGOC to see where I go from here.

My mechanic has lots of experience with the MGF and also owned one himself in the past, but I take your point on the specialist knowledge required for the hydragas suspension.

Speak to Roger Parker, say you know me (i am also Secretary at the Epsom Area MG Owners club, with 300 members) and he will give you the best advice. His own MGF is one of the test mules for the Suplex conversion.

Thanks Bryan I will do that. Also the cars running 195x50x15's all round