'Puttering' would be the word for what I've been doing.
I have used some non-stock parts on the front suspension rebuild of
the '78, so here is the list of parts and explainations.
First, I switched the front ball bearings to tapered roller bearings.
The Timken part numbers for these are;
05185 small race
05066 small bearing
07204 big race
07097 big bearing
I feel that roller bearings are stronger, and better, as they allow
a little 'float' with the front wheels, especially under side load.
There is no price advantage to these bearings, it was all of about
$1.50 cheaper total for the rollers compaired to the ball. I bought
them at my local NAPA store, total w/seals was about $80. I did not
use the spacer that goes between the stock ball bearings, as I feel
that it would negate some of the reasons that I'm using rollers.
The small race was a very tight fit in the hub, other than that they
install just like any other tapered bearing. I'm planning on torqueing
the spindle nut down to around 20-25 ftlbs, but I'll do a survey of
my many shop manuals to get a 'average' value of torque for tapered
bearings. Vince P. (the singing mechanic and a Sinatra nut), suggested
this conversion origionally, and just torques the nut to feel.
I'm using polyurethane bushings on the a-arms and trunion. I bought
these from Faspec. I am using these mainly for longevity rather
than handling. Rubber bushings (especially here in Florida) just don't
last long enough. I'm not concerned about poor ride quality as I've
read that it is equivalent to about 3-5 extra pounds of pressure in
your tires. I can live with that. I'm hoping that these will lesson
deflection enough that I can have nearly zero toe too.
I'm using lower springs from VB too. These are a inch lower, and have
a 330# spring rate. I want the car lower, but I mainly want the
negative camber that comes with it too. This car has what I would
guesstimate to be about 2* positive camber stock, which is ridiculus
for a sports car. IMHO positive camber indicates that MG considered the
later Midget's to be more of a toy than a 'real' sports car.
When I removed my steering rack and mounts I found three small cracks
around one of the frame holes. I welded these. It looks like the
mounts don't really seat solid on the frame, in that the frame is
not 'square' and smooth where it starts to curve down (to clear the
front pully). I cut some very thin copper flashing to go between the
mounts and frame. I'm hoping that this will conform to the frame better
and help to distribute the load between the frame and mounts, without
being unnessarily flexible.
Other than that I've been waiting for my a-arms, and getting ready to
rebuild the brakes on the '72.
-Aron Travis-
"always in a automotive frenzy"
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