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Rear Spring Swap & Sway bar

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The bushings should match the diameter of the sway bar. I don't know what size later cars had, but if ordering from someone like Superflex, you can specify exactly what size you want.
 
If you get an oversized sway bar, you'll have to change the attaching points to also fit...I found some of my stuff at MacMasters
 
Which attaching points? The bracket that attaches to the frame or the link?

And do you have McMaster part numbers?

We're talking fronts sway bar right?
 
In the illustration below, you'll need to replace #8 with rubber bushings for the larger bar - don't know if they're available from Moss.....when I mentioned MacMasters, I was thinking about my front bar which I enlarged.

MGB-049.gif
 
There's pieces there you don't need...& the vrear sway bar ends with their bushings aren't there.
 
I dont have a rear sway bar. Are the round bushings for my front bar where it connects to the link?
 
I'm confused! Are you talking about installing a 5/8" rear sway bar where there's never been a sway bar before?

If, so, you're gonna need a parts car so you can cut the mounting points off it & weld them onto your car (major, serious mod)...I've done it before & the car almost needs to be stripped because they go up under the battery tray to the outboard sides of it - welded solidly to the underside of the body.

Right now I have a set of those mounting points that I cut out of a car laying in my workshop - down the road, if needed, I'm gonna weld them up under my '68 GT race car.
 
Sorry Tony. Ok. I'll sart over. I want to pull the 9/16" Front sway bar out of the '74 roadster and put in a 5/8" front sway bar from a '74 GT. While I am doing this, I might as well change to urethane bushings and the ebay kit listed above looks like it will do the trick.
 
Ah - don't know how I got it in my mind we were talking about the rear sway bar....been too long a day of briefings & more tomorrow!
 
Know what you mean. Can't believe I still here typing at 22:25pm.
 
Thanks Steve. I assume that the bushing you purchased were machined. I will contact the seller and see what his product is. I also guess I need to look at the car and see how my parts are. I just put rear shackle bushings in and they were pretty tight.
 
Short course on MG suspension:

Springs - stiffer at front, stock (or sometimes even lower rate) at rear.

Sway bars - increase front roll stiffness is good. Adding rear bar on an early car not so good but useful in some circumstances - NB - requires corresponding increase in rate of front bar.

I use a 5/8" front and it is a nice addition. For slalom you want a 3/4" and for racing perhaps even larger. MGC - I use a 7/8" and it works well. NB - these are all stock location bars with stock arm length - if you change arm length you need to recalculate. For the math see my article in the last MG Vintage Racers newsletter or https://www.rhodo.citymax.com/f/Fitting_an_MGB_sway_bar_to_an_MGA.pdf

Shocks - stiffer shocks are good if you don't mind the harsher ride. The big caveat here is that a used shock, even if it looks like it is in good shape (i.e. not leaking) is much more prone to becoming a leaker if you stick in the heavy duty shock valves. Use motorcycle shock oil - if you use motor oil there is always a chance of getting a reaction with the seals. I am a big fan of sticking with the Armstrongs, BTW. Not a lot of benefit changing to telescopics and too many badly done kits that look like they were engineered by a drunken steam-fitter, often supplied with shocks able to control a 2 ton lorry.

Solid sway bar bushes - go ahead and fill your boots - no real down side here, except that you have to make sure any non-compliant bushes have lubrication. The Prothane bushes are slippery enough, while Delrin aren't and need added lube. We often use solid brass or aluminum on the race cars, with an added grease nipple. Don't expect huge changes when you go to solid bushes - they just allow the sway bar effect sooner) they don't have to take up the slack in the rubber before being felt).

All this advice applies to CBB only. Best advice on an RBB is sell it and buy a CBB, or get ready for some major work and expense to get to the starting point of the CBB.

Personally, I find that stiffer front springs and a front bar are sufficient without needing to alter the shock settings unless you want to compete - slalom, race etc.
 
Do you have any pics of your set ups?
 
Well, I can see how the sway bar bit could be easily confused. I thought we were talking about a rear sway bar for the longest time here. That is until the topic got to talking about upgrading stock to slightly thicker on a CB.
 
I guess I should have named it Rear Spring swap & Front sway bar. My bad. For being bad I won't post anymore until Sunday - I promise.
 
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