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Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this #953855
03/19/11 05:55 PM
03/19/11 05:55 PM
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Lyons, CO
MileHighDart Offline OP
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Not sure if this was actually planned by chrysler, or if its just manufacturing tollerances back then.

On my 68 Dart the 8-3/4 rear seems to be off center somewhat. Just judgeing from the clearance between the tire and the fender lip on both sides. I have about 1" clearance on the pass side, and about 1/4" on the drivers side.

Anybody try to fix this, either by elongating the locating hole on the spring perch, or buy cutting the perches off the housing and welding on new ones ?

I'd just like to get it shifted to the right about 3/8" to make my clearance on both sides a little more even.

Thanks for any input !

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953856
03/19/11 06:17 PM
03/19/11 06:17 PM
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Northwest
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Four40mopar Offline
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Are you sure this is an A body 8 3/4? Sometimes B body 8 3/4's get shoehorned into A bodies.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: Four40mopar] #953857
03/19/11 06:18 PM
03/19/11 06:18 PM
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Lyons, CO
MileHighDart Offline OP
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I removed this 8-3/4 from a 71 Scamp I used to have and installed it into my Dart.
Pretty sure it was stock in the Scamp.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953858
03/19/11 06:38 PM
03/19/11 06:38 PM
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ahy Offline
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If you loosen everything up - front hanger to frame bolts and U bolts and give it a good shove, you may get some movement. I doubt you'll get 3/8" but worth a try.

Uneven spacing isn't all that unusual. Tolerences weren't held very tight.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: ahy] #953859
03/19/11 06:55 PM
03/19/11 06:55 PM
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In the past I've loosened everything up, attached a come along to force everything to one side then tightened everything up... On a current project I've got the spring pads cut off & it's definitely a better approach, things will center perfectly & won't be in a bind...


"The Armies of our ancestors were lucky, in that they were not trailed by a second army of pencil pushers."
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: 1_WILD_RT] #953860
03/19/11 10:52 PM
03/19/11 10:52 PM
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Ontario, Canada
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Stanton Offline
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b-body Plymouths are slightly off center.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: Stanton] #953861
03/20/11 03:45 AM
03/20/11 03:45 AM
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So Cal
autoxcuda Offline
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My 68 Dart is off center compared to the rear body.

BUT REALIZE, you are just centering the rear end to the body. The body is just along for the ride. The position of all four tires relative to each other is what matters for the car to go down the road straight.

That being said it's probably not going to be down to 1/16" or something. Alignments alone change wheelbase and track width some. The service manual has some guidelines, but you'll have to look at your last alignment sheet.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: autoxcuda] #953862
03/20/11 03:55 AM
03/20/11 03:55 AM
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1_WILD_RT Offline
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Quote:

My 68 Dart is off center compared to the rear body.

BUT REALIZE, you are just centering the rear end to the body. The body is just along for the ride. The position of all four tires relative to each other is what matters for the car to go down the road straight.

That being said it's probably not going to be down to 1/16" or something. Alignments alone change wheelbase and track width some.





Alignments change track width in the front.. The reason I've chased centering the wheel in the wheel well side to side is for max tire clearance.. & I'm sure thats what the O/P is looking for as well..... My current project isn't a Mopar but the same ideas apply so I've cut the perches & I'm also likely gonna order rear springs with the center pin moved 1.5" rearward from stock.... There are other ways of moving the axle rearward but since I'm planning the replace the springs & ESPO will do it why fight it...

6539406-sideveiw.jpg (93 downloads)

"The Armies of our ancestors were lucky, in that they were not trailed by a second army of pencil pushers."
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: 1_WILD_RT] #953863
03/20/11 06:59 PM
03/20/11 06:59 PM
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Harrisburg, Pa.
screamindriver Offline
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I've swapped out many rears...Different body styles,narrowed or simply correcting angles...And I've always centered the rear to the wheelwells when welding in new perches... I never ran into any problems with an alignment afterwards....I just figured I was correcting the bad tolerances...

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: screamindriver] #953864
03/20/11 07:08 PM
03/20/11 07:08 PM
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Chino Valley
RodStRace Offline
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I'd measure the unibody too, it may be just a fender skin off or the whole thing off.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: RodStRace] #953865
03/20/11 08:05 PM
03/20/11 08:05 PM
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Lyons, CO
MileHighDart Offline OP
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Quote:

I'd measure the unibody too, it may be just a fender skin off or the whole thing off.




I did do a little measureing this way. Like from the outside of the framerail out to the edge of the fender.
Its different on the two sides of the car.
Its great, the precision with which our cars were built.

Doing some more measureing right now with the new wheels/tires on. I'll probably just try to move it to the right about 1/4" just to center it within the wheel wells a little better.

Heres what I'm looking at.
This is the passenger side, measured with a tape measure I have 1" clearance.

6540545-pass.JPG (105 downloads)
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953866
03/20/11 08:13 PM
03/20/11 08:13 PM
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Lyons, CO
MileHighDart Offline OP
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Heres the Drivers side, Measures 3/8" clearance.

6540558-drivers.JPG (74 downloads)
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953867
03/20/11 11:29 PM
03/20/11 11:29 PM
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Under My Car
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Is it an optical illusion or is the lip on the driver side a little wider than the other?

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: Mopar_Country] #953868
03/20/11 11:53 PM
03/20/11 11:53 PM
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DirectSubjection Offline
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70s Mach1's have the same issue - really annoyed my buddy.


Ride eternal, shiny and chrome
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: DirectSubjection] #953869
03/21/11 12:08 AM
03/21/11 12:08 AM
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85086
moparpollack Offline
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My buddy's 71 Barracuda was the same way. Just poor sheet metal alignment. Hammer as needed and move on.


56 Plaza 63 D100 step side 67 Coronet, 68 Roadrunner, 69 Super Bees, 69 Coronet 500 convertible, 70 Roadrunner Post, 79 D150 360, and a severe case of Mopar a,d,d
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: Mopar_Country] #953870
03/21/11 12:44 AM
03/21/11 12:44 AM
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Lyons, CO
MileHighDart Offline OP
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Quote:

Is it an optical illusion or is the lip on the driver side a little wider than the other?




You must have really good eyes, cause I just went out an measured that. The pass side lip is slightly narrower, but just my maybe 1/16" depending on where exactly you measure it. Both lips are between 7/8" and 1". I could trim them both a little bit just for more clearance.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953871
03/21/11 12:54 AM
03/21/11 12:54 AM
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Under My Car
Mopar_Country Offline
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Another thing you might check is the distance from the top of the wheel to the lip. If the driver side is a tad lower it would be into the bulge more, reducing the distance.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953872
03/21/11 01:33 AM
03/21/11 01:33 AM
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Riverside, California
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ghostrider Offline
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The entire driveline is supposed to be just slightly off center by design. Shouldn't cause you any problems to center it, the u-joints just work at the slightly different angle.


Must remember... my humor doesn't work on forums.....my humor doesn't work on forums. Former Mopars include 69 Super Bee, 71 Sebring, 68 Charger, 69 Charger, 78 D150, 67 300, 71 Road Runner clone, 79 T-top Doba, 67 Barracuda, 91 TC by Maserati, 68 Town & Country
Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: Mopar_Country] #953873
03/21/11 08:34 AM
03/21/11 08:34 AM
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arizona, usa
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lokalik Offline
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Quote:

Is it an optical illusion or is the lip on the driver side a little wider than the other?


sure looks like one is wider than the other. you could use masking tape and transfer the pass side to the drivers side to see how much you need to remove.

Re: Centering rear end in chassis, anyone done this [Re: MileHighDart] #953874
03/21/11 11:14 AM
03/21/11 11:14 AM
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Valencia, España
NachoRT74 Offline
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ok... I have same "issue" on my Charger... IN FRONT AND REAR...

rear is small diff but in front I have around 1" difference being passenger side deeper into the fender

( and is not the only 73/74 charger I have noticed this )


With a Charger born in Chrysler assembly plant in Valencia, Venezuela
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