The MGB uses a coil spring and double wishbone front suspension throughout its production life, with the lever arm shock absorber mounted inboard and acting as the upper suspension arm. While this fundamental layout remained unchanged from 1962 to 1980, there are several component variations across model years and body styles that affect ordering.
Coil Springs
Front coil springs differ between roadster and GT, and between chrome and rubber bumper cars, four distinct spring specifications in total. The rubber bumper MGB sits notably higher than chrome bumper cars, and a lowered Special Tuning specification spring is available to reduce ride height by approximately one inch on chrome bumper models. Spring kits for the roadster and GT early cars include all associated mounting hardware.
Wishbones & Bushes
The front wishbone inner bushes are a regular service item and are available in standard rubber or uprated polyurethane in fast road and race specifications. Eight bushes are required per car. The heavy duty MGB GT V8 inner bush is also suitable as an uprated alternative for the four-cylinder MGB and only four are required per car. The wishbone arm itself differs when an anti-roll bar is fitted, a separate handed arm pair is used on anti-roll bar cars, with the quantity of wishbone-to-spring seat screws reduced accordingly.
Anti-Roll Bars
The front anti-roll bar specification also changed across production. The 9/16” bar was original equipment on chrome bumper roadsters and rubber bumper GTs up to September 1976. The 5/8” bar was original on chrome bumper GTs and all rubber bumper cars from September 1976. The front anti-roll bar was not fitted to early rubber bumper roadsters up to September 1976 and was an optional extra on 3-synchro roadsters.
The bar must be fitted the correct way up, refer to the workshop manual, section K9. Uprated 3/4” and 7/8” bars are available for fast road and competition use. A complete front suspension rebuild kit is available in standard or urethane bush specification, including all bushes, fulcrum bolts, and hardware, which is the most economical approach for a full front suspension overhaul.