Not to mock your legitimate questions, but the simple answer would be to get
a chrome bumper MGB. As you suspect, the increased ride height of the RBB is
the major detriment to handling.
Until you do something about that sub-optimal situation, nothing else is
going to make much difference. On the already jacked-up-looking RBB,
60-series tires on 14" wheels would merely achieve a "roller skate" look
without any appreciable improvement in handling "feel". Ultimate grip could
certainly be improved by using super-sticky low-profile rubber -- however,
this approach may not be satisfactory (or even safe).
On the other hand, I believe lowering a RBB is not exactly a trivial
operation. Others will know more about the steps required.
That said, I would not recommend removing the rear anti-roll bar in pursuit
of oversteer. In fact, I dispute the implication that oversteer is the
natural state of MGBs. For example, a CBB, equipped with only a front
anti-roll bar, using the recommended tire pressures, will exhibit nearly
neutral handling. Oversteer would be a result of underinflating the rear
tires (or overinflating the front tires. At any rate, the combination of
high CG, poor roll control, sticky rubber, and oversteer does not strike me
as advantageous -- quite the opposite...
on 11/8/02 11:38 AM, Henry D. Reynolds at hdr@jump.net wrote:
> Has any one lower their car by putting lower profile tires on stock
> wheels?
>
> my '78 just does not handle like i think an MGB should. It has too much
> understeer. my other MGBs tended toward oversteer. Is this a side
> effect of the increased ride height and maybe the weight of those awful
> rubber bumpers? I also feel like the car has way too much body roll.
>
> so by the book one increases oversteer by increasing the slip angle of
> the rear or decreasing the slip angle of the front (tires).
>
> what should i do (and in what order)
> a) lower the car all around(how much)
> b) lower the front only
> c) increase the diameter of the front sway-bar
> d) decrease or remove the rear sway-bar (does having this sway bar
> help locate the rear axle)
>
> i am running stock wheels with 185/70x14 tires at 32 psi in both front
> and rear (increasing the front inflation pressure from 27 psi seems to
> have reduced understeer some. Shocks and springs are OK(no bouncy,bouncy
> and rear-end rarely bottoms). i have new lower control arm bushings.
>
> PS i have a set of wheels 195/70x14 on them, but They made the car ride
> higher and steering effort was much greater
>
> PPS has any one lower their car by putting lower profile tires on stock
> wheels?
--
Max Heim
'66 MGB GHN3L76149
If you're near Mountain View, CA,
it's the primer red one with chrome wires
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