Time to toot one's horn I think (after a miserable day at the shop, working
on a TR7, maybe I'm allowed?!)
This tip, and many of the others, came from the pen of yours truly, when I
was working at Moss and in charge of the department that was re-creating all
the catalogs in the early eighties.
I've stayed out of the "what is the correct tire pressure" discussion
because, as some have said, so much depends on the size of tire in use (and
some people these days are fitting what are, IMNSHO, quite foolishly wide
and low profile tires on the original skinny wheels). However, I still
stand by my original contention as published: a chrome-bumper MGB or 77-80
RB car in stock trim needs at least 2lbs more pressure in the rear tires to
prevent oversteer, the early, non-rear-swaybar rubber bumper cars should
have at least 5lbs more at the rear.
Lawrie
British Sportscar Center
-----Original Message-----
From: Max Heim <mvheim@studiolimage.com>
Cc: mgs@autox.team.net <mgs@autox.team.net>
Date: Wednesday, July 14, 1999 12:41 PM
Subject: Re: MGB Tire Pressures
>"A common cause of oversteer is incorrect tire pressure. MGB rear tires
>should always be set 3 lbs. higher than the front tires, or 5 lbs. higher
>when travelling with a loaded trunk."
>
>This is one of the handy tips in the Moss catalog. I don't know where
>they got it from, but I've always found this advice to be accurate when
>applied to my basically stock (with tube shock conversion) '66 MGB.
>Modified cars, ones with aggressive sway bar setups especially, may have
>a different reaction to tire pressures.
>
>It *is* odd, in that the weight distribution is 54F/46R (with driver),
>but I imagine it's a function of spring rates. Which causes me to add,
>modified springs would definitely affect this trait.
>
>
>James Nazarian Jr had this to say:
>
>>Mike if you run the tires even all the way around the car will push, I
>>would start with 28, without knowing what kind of tires you have
>>(and how stiff the sidewalls are) that is my best guess. Tire preassure
>>is fairly subjective. I like to run at 32 and sometimes I will keep my 38
>>from racing for a while but that definately makes for a harder ride,
>>although the cornering is excellent.
>>
>>James Nazarian
>>'71 B roadster
>>'74 BGT undergoing V8 conversion for autocrossing
>>
>>On Tue, 13 Jul 1999, Mike wrote:
>>
>>> Fellow MGB fanatics,
>>>
>>> I want my 73B to handle safely, comfortably, and I'd prefer understeer
over
>>> oversteer, if possible, since I'm used to cars with a little push. I
spend
>>alot
>>> of time on narrow twisty roads along the shore. What's a good inflation
>>> pressure for my front & rear 165R14s?
>>>
>>> Mike
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Neil Cotty wrote:
>>>
>>> > Hi guys,
>>> >
>>> > > in the car. Obviously there is a 3 - 5 psi diff between the front
and
>>> > > back. I would have thought it was the other way round - but so be
it.
>>> > > Usually the end with the most weight has the highewr pressure. If
the
>way
>>> >
>>> > This is what I've always been told by people. The end with the more
weight
>>> > the higher the pressure. On modern tyres I tend to run 32psi Front and
>>30psi
>>> > Rear. This is normally good with a passenger and a full tank of gas.
I'll
>>> > normally take them down 2 psi each end if it's only round town
driving.
>Our
>>> > roads here are abysmal and with the pressures that high I do get a
slight
>>> > amount of skipping over minor bumps.. However for the most part I
prefer
>>the
>>> > handling at those pressures. The car feels way too heavy any lower
than
>>> > 30/28psi. Just my .2c. :)
>>> >
>>> > Cheers,
>>> > Neil.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
>--
>
>Max Heim
>'66 MGB GHN3L76149
>Runs great,
>looks particularly bad since some SUV clown backed into it.
>If you're near Mountain View, CA,
>it's the red one with the silver bootlid.
>
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