The front suspension is an independent coil spring and wishbone arrangement with lever-arm dampers as original equipment. The basic layout is common to all Midgets, but key components, particularly the coil springs and damper rates, differ between the 1275cc and 1500cc to suit the different engine weights and intended ride characteristics.
Dampers
Standard and uprated lever-arm dampers are available on an exchange basis. Exchange dampers require priming before fitting, work the arm through its full travel repeatedly until all dead spots disappear. Failure to prime the damper traps air in the internal valving and results in poor damping action when fitted. Uprated dampers with increased valve rates provide firmer control for spirited driving or competition use.
Front Springs
The front coil springs are model-specific, 1275cc springs are rated for the lighter A-Series engine, 1500 springs for the heavier Triumph unit. Fitting the wrong spring causes incorrect ride height and altered handling. Uprated springs and lowering spacer sets (approximately half an inch reduction) are available for owners seeking improved handling response or a lower stance.
Wishbones and Fulcrum
New and reconditioned lower wishbone assemblies are available. The inner fulcrum bushes (top-hat and barrel types) are offered in rubber, road polyurethane, and race polyurethane. The fulcrum bolts must be tightened with the car's weight on the suspension, tightening with the suspension hanging free pre-loads the bushes and causes premature failure. The fulcrum pin itself runs through the wishbone and into the chassis bracket and is a stocked item for owners renewing the complete pivot assembly.
King Pins
The king pin connects the stub axle to the wishbone, running in bronze bushes that require reaming after pressing into the stub axle. Shim pack thickness controls tightness, unusually, shims are added to loosen and removed to tighten the assembly, starting with 0.008-inch and 0.012-inch shims over the thrust washer and adjusting from there. Complete king pin kits are available for owners with access to a reaming tool, and fully built-up reconditioned stub axle assemblies with king pins already fitted and reamed avoid this specialist operation entirely.
Top Trunnion
The top trunnion connects the damper arm to the king pin assembly and is a safety-critical wear point. Replacement kits are available in rubber, road polyurethane, and race polyurethane bush specifications. The top trunnion grease nipple must be lubricated at every service, failure to grease the trunnion is the single most common cause of premature wear and the resulting suspension play.
Front Hubs
The front hub differs between steel and wire wheel cars, steel wheel hubs have a stud-flange for the bolt-on wheel, while wire wheel hubs carry splined extensions to mate with the splined wire wheel hub. Both types run on taper roller bearings with a spacer between them. Bearings should be renewed whenever the hub is removed for any other work, as the bearing seating is disturbed during removal. The hub nut is castellated and secured by a split pin, tighten to specification then back off to the nearest hole that aligns with the split pin slot.
Anti-Roll Bar
Three anti-roll bar diameters were available: 9/16-inch, 5/8-inch, and 11/16-inch. The link arms (handed left and right) and bearing straps are common across all sizes, but the clamp bushes must match the bar diameter. Polyurethane bushes are available in road and race specifications for owners wanting sharper turn-in response.
Bump Stops and Small Components
Front bump stops mount on the chassis and limit upward suspension travel, these perish with age and are an inexpensive renewal during a suspension refresh. Steering arm bolts, lock washers, and the various small fixings associated with the front suspension are all stocked individually, ensuring complete restorations can be completed without sourcing fixings from other suppliers.
Suspension Rebuild Kits
Complete front suspension rebuild kits are available in basic (trunnion pins, bushes, steering arm bolts) and extended (adding fulcrum pins) specifications, with the choice of rubber, road polyurethane, or race polyurethane bushes throughout. Specifying a complete kit ensures all wear points are renewed at the same time, restoring the front end to as-new condition without the false economy of replacing one component at a time over multiple sessions.