Widening the track without moving suspension pivots will lower the front
roll center a little, should lower weight transfer a bit, and that will help
handling, but I would also think that the wider track on stock parts will
change your required spring ratio. If the spring is left in the stock
position and the contact patch is 1" further out then you are changing the
lever ratio between wheel/pivot and spring/pivot. I think that the stock
ratio was 2:1 so from just a rough guess of the change I think you would
need to go about 10% stiffer. Likewise with the shocks but the % change
would depend on where they are mounted.
james nazarian
----- Original Message -----
From: Barney Gaylord <barneymg@MGAguru.com>
To: Larry Colen <lrcar@red4est.com>; <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: 22 January, 2003 5:43 PM
Subject: Re: changing wheel offsets
> At 11:50 AM 1/22/03 -0800, Larry Colen wrote:
> >If (when) I get a custom rear end made, I can just as easily get it made
> >to accept Datsun wheels as MGB offset wheels. The advantage being that
> >wheels made to the Datsun/Nissan offset are a lot easier and cheaper to
find.
> >
> >My question is, how does this affect the front suspsension? What are the
> >effects on handling of changing the offset by about an inch?
>
> Suppose you make the rear end 2" narrower to accept wheels with 1" more
> offset. Then when you put the same wheels on the front they will protrude
> 1" more under the fenders, and may well rub on the front fenders (not to
> mention it might look funny). Otherwise the slightly wider front track
may
> actually improve cornering, but you may get a bit more jerk on the
steering
> wheel when you hit a pothole, because the tire contact patch on the ground
> will be farther offset from the kingpin.
>
> The next option would be to move the front hub in 1" closer to the
> centerline of the car. Now that should be no more expenseve that your
> custom rear end, but may well be more expensive then custom made
> wheels. BTDT, and custom wheels ain't cheap. Maybe put wider tires on
the
> back and narrower ones on the front?
>
> Barney Gaylord
> 1958 MGA with an attitude
> http://MGAguru.com
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