Driving over 110km/h the front end feels unstable and very light.

The car has been laid up over the winter and was recently brought back out. I thought that the problem was due to the hydragas being very very low. This was done last week and everything felt quite normal initially. Over the weekend I noticed that the problem was still there.

Symptoms are:

Up to 80 km/h everything feels normal.
Above 100-110 km/h (autobahn) the front of the car feels quite light.
When cornering especially after fast driving it feels like the back of the car is going to catch up with the front.

I have been on the mg-rover.org forum to see if others have experienced this problem but the opinions are so diverse I am even more confused now as to what the problem may be.

I know that the F can suffer a bit with 'feeling light at the front' but this is not normal, I have driven others and none felt this bad. The car does have different brands of tyres front/back - Conti Sport Contact on the front (75% tread remaining), and Toyo Proxes on the rear (less than 3000km old). I know that MGF are also fussy about mixing tyres but could this really be the issue - any ideas would be appreciated.

you wrote:"...the problem was still there..." Which one?
The feeling it´s too light at the front...or te one it is too low??

How abot the height? Without any lowering kit this should be 365 mm from the middle of the wheel to the edge of the mudguard. Can you tell your value?! with lowering kit it is 30 mm less.

What about your tyres? Which size? 15" or 16"? Extremas are 185/55R15 at the front and 205/50R15 at the back up to 215/40R16 all around....
First suggestion: Check the tyre pressure

Tyre pressures are all ok and set at the MG recommended level 26psi (1.8 bar) Front and 28 psi (1.9 bar) Rear. My documents say to only increase pressures if regularly driving over 160km/h for long periods of time.

The Hydragas has recently been pumped up (last week) and the ride height is set exactly to 368mm. I have had some information today that this is where the problem may be, apparently after a hydragas service it is recommended that you should get a wheel alignment check.

I have booked this now but the earliest I can get in is next monday - everywhere is so busy changing winter to summer tyres.

I'll put a post on next week to say how I get on - hopefully it will be cured!!!!!

That's rubish.
Better see, or let see for worn wheel bearings, or worn upper-/lower ball joints.
Also check the play of the rear tie-bar !!

The only time I have ever heard of this, as you describe, is when the tyres have been mixed with Goodyear GSD2's and GSD3's which you should not do..Was the car like this before the new tyres were fitted ?

When I changed my Toyo Proxes T1-R's on the back (only, as the front's were still good) it felt like the wheel nuts were loose, I even stopped and checked them once ! I had to change the front's too because of this.

I was running the F on 17" wheels at the time with no problems at all except when the rear tyres were changed, they lasted 45,000 km's.

You should have a four wheel alignment done when the suspension has been replaced or altered, so, as your car was OK before the winter why should you need one now ?

True, the figures are correct but I found that 368mm is too high, it looks like a Land Rover too. Look at the shape of the front of the car, at speed the air will get under it and raise the front giving the effect you are finding.


On my F I fitted the KH splitter and dropped the suspension with lowering pins, problem solved. The TF is much more stable at any speed, even maximum.

Tyre pressures are OK, I use very similar myself unless I'm touring with maximum weight and a lot of high speed driving, then I raise the rear by 2 psi.

It was like this before the winter but it has got worse, or at least it feels worse.

I really don't buy into the different tyre theory - the problem is, it is a very expensive guess if the problem is still there after changing (which I am convinced that it will be).

I have been talking a bit out of my a** as well, when I said wheel alignment, I actually meant tracking, which is getting looked at on monday afternoon. I am going to ask the mechanic to go on a test drive or at least accompany me to experience the problem.

It is now becoming quite an issue because my wife no longer wants to drive the car (it is her car) as she is convinced that it is not safe.

It is very difficult to describe in words the problem that I have - it just feels slippery!!!

Had the tracking done recently but I still have problems with the handling. Slippery/Floaty sensation.

Do these tracking values look correct or are they out?? Thanks

As a reference see i.e.
http://www.mgf.ultimatemg.com/group2/su ... acking.htm

Anyway, the SPUR Vorn (front toe angle) wasn't equal rechts/links (right/left) before the tracking was done.
The car slightly ran _cambered_ cause the car center line was out. (Fahrachswinkel is the car centre line relation to straight ahead driving direction) However this deviation did not cause the *jelly over ice* feeling, though.

Now it's a lot more toe IN at the front then before.
What says the wife ? Is she pleased with it now ?