17/09/2026
MGB PANHARD ROD...As befits a car engineered in the 1960s to a strict budget, the rear suspension of the MGB/MGC series is about as basic as it gets: a live axle mounted on simple leaf springs with rubber bushing at either end to help isolate noise, vibration and harshness (NVH).
The problem is that it’s not very controlled because the rubber bushes’ compliance allows the springs to move up to half-inch in each direction as the side forces generated by the tyres are fed from the axle into the body via the leaf springs. The driver senses this as vague and wayward handling. The lateral movement also requires more clearance for the tyres in the wheel arches and, whilst wider tyres might look aesthetically more pleasing they simply exacerbate the problem because of their higher levels of grip. Eliminating this vagueness results in sharper handling and greater driving pleasure.
The question is how to do this simply and cost-effectively? Answer, fit a Panhard Rod.
