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Chassis Guys, a little help please?
#1572315
02/01/14 09:54 PM
02/01/14 09:54 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Lebanon, OH
Brad4406
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Lebanon, OH
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I'm welding in the coil-over shock crossmember. Prior to this, the ladder bar suspension was triangulated, which came out perfect, and the lower shock brackets are welded onto the housing the same distance on each side from the axle flanges. I triangulated the ladder bar crossmember prior to welding, but didn't triangulate the shock crossmember as the directions did not call for it. My problem is the upper shock brackets on the newly welded in crossmember. All the instructions called for was making sure the shocks were perfectly straight up and down. I made sure the shocks were fully extended and used an angle gauge to make sure the shocks were perfectly straight up and down, but to make that happen, the drivers side shock upper brackets are 3/8" closer to the frame rail than the passenger side. Is this a big deal, or should I just get over it?
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: dvw]
#1572317
02/01/14 11:52 PM
02/01/14 11:52 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Lebanon, OH
Brad4406
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Lebanon, OH
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Doug,
It's left to right.
The housing has to be centered in the car. I dropped plum bobs from the outside of the frame rails, measured to the axle flanges and made sure the measurement was the same on both sides, measured front to rear from the trans crossmember frame rails to the rear axle, and then triangulated the measurements. I installed my diagonal link and checked triangulation one more time. I've checked the triangulation three times on the rear before I started the coil-over mock up. This is why I don't understand why it came out this way.
Brad
Last edited by Brad4406; 02/01/14 11:57 PM.
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: Brad4406]
#1572318
02/02/14 01:06 AM
02/02/14 01:06 AM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,602
Fulton County, PA
CMcAllister
Mr. Helpful
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Mr. Helpful
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,602
Fulton County, PA
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Maybe a dumb question. Is the car level?
If the results don't match the theory, change the theory.
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: Brad4406]
#1572320
02/02/14 02:53 AM
02/02/14 02:53 AM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 515
geezer acres rest home
dakotawilly
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 515
geezer acres rest home
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Chinese tapemeasure? I would look for other places on the car to measure from and triangulate,factory frame rails?those tend to move around after years of abuse also.multiple measurements from different areas on the car should give you a better idea of whats not quite perfect.its there,you just need to be patient and keep looking,or use a laser off 4 sq points on the floor...............
Last edited by dakotawilly; 02/02/14 02:58 AM.
SFI 25.5 depends,no leak,even at 213 mph....
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: Quicktree]
#1572322
02/02/14 11:14 AM
02/02/14 11:14 AM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Lebanon, OH
Brad4406
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Lebanon, OH
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I will check centering of the rear axle again, but this time using the inside of the frame rails. Also, the shocks are used; so I guess it's possible one of the shafts might be bent so I'll check both of them today.
Last edited by Brad4406; 02/02/14 11:16 AM.
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: Brad4406]
#1572324
02/02/14 01:51 PM
02/02/14 01:51 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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Quote:
I will check centering of the rear axle again, but this time using the inside of the frame rails. Also, the shocks are used; so I guess it's possible one of the shafts might be bent so I'll check both of them today.
If you start stacking up the tolerance in a production
car you can get about 1/2 off... the 3/8 isnt that much
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#1572325
02/02/14 02:59 PM
02/02/14 02:59 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 515
geezer acres rest home
dakotawilly
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 515
geezer acres rest home
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mr p is correct,back in the day I worked at the local dodge dealer as a mechanic,we used to see many strange things on the new models,bolts and parts missing,broken parts installed,one car came in with an odor nobody could find,and eventually,we found a baloney sandwich stuffed inside the door.nothing was ever perfect...............
SFI 25.5 depends,no leak,even at 213 mph....
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: dakotawilly]
#1572326
02/02/14 03:20 PM
02/02/14 03:20 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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Quote:
mr p is correct,back in the day I worked at the local dodge dealer as a mechanic,we used to see many strange things on the new models,bolts and parts missing,broken parts installed,one car came in with an odor nobody could find,and eventually,we found a baloney sandwich stuffed inside the door.nothing was ever perfect...............
When I worked for GM we had a tinking noise in a
car.. I finally figured out it was in a rear quarter
panel behind the RR window... was a pint bottle and
still had a small bit of booze in it
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: Thumperdart]
#1572328
02/02/14 05:38 PM
02/02/14 05:38 PM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 515
geezer acres rest home
dakotawilly
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 515
geezer acres rest home
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the worst problems I saw were during the big strike at chrysler in the early 80s,sabotage was abundant,seems 85% of the new cars has issues
SFI 25.5 depends,no leak,even at 213 mph....
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: dakotawilly]
#1572329
02/02/14 05:56 PM
02/02/14 05:56 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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Quote:
the worst problems I saw were during the big strike at chrysler in the early 80s,sabotage was abundant,seems 85% of the new cars has issues
I dont know how that could happen... when we were on
strike we werent allowed onto the complex let along
on the line.. if they were up and running they had
so called scab workers... I never worked on the line
or even at a production plant... all my years were
at Engineering and I only went to plants on launch
or if they had issues in my line of work(fuel and
exhaust related issues)
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: PLUM BAD]
#1572330
02/02/14 06:56 PM
02/02/14 06:56 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Lebanon, OH
Brad4406
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OP
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Lebanon, OH
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Quote:
I made a set of shock simulators that are the length of my shocks eyelet to eyelet dimension at ride hight. A lot easier than using the actual shock.
My best friend suggested that a couple days ago when I was having problems getting the springs off the shocks. I may go get some square stock tomorrow.
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: MR_P_BODY]
#1572331
02/02/14 07:01 PM
02/02/14 07:01 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Lebanon, OH
Brad4406
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 70
Lebanon, OH
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Quote:
Quote:
I will check centering of the rear axle again, but this time using the inside of the frame rails. Also, the shocks are used; so I guess it's possible one of the shafts might be bent so I'll check both of them today.
If you start stacking up the tolerance in a production
car you can get about 1/2 off... the 3/8 isnt that much
Thanks, I feel better reading that.
I just checked from the inside frame rails; it appears that I was almost an 1/8" off to the driver's side. Now I'm questioning all of my measurements. I also just noticed that while placing the passenger side shock onto the crossmember that the shock collapses a small bit so I'll cut the crossmember out and mock it up again tomorrow. It was only tacked in anyway.
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: Brad4406]
#1572332
02/02/14 07:22 PM
02/02/14 07:22 PM
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Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
MR_P_BODY
Master
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Master
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 52,972
Romeo MI
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Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I will check centering of the rear axle again, but this time using the inside of the frame rails. Also, the shocks are used; so I guess it's possible one of the shafts might be bent so I'll check both of them today.
If you start stacking up the tolerance in a production
car you can get about 1/2 off... the 3/8 isnt that much
Thanks, I feel better reading that.
I just checked from the inside frame rails; it appears that I was almost an 1/8" off to the driver's side. Now I'm questioning all of my measurements. I also just noticed that while placing the passenger side shock onto the crossmember that the shock collapses a small bit so I'll cut the crossmember out and mock it up again tomorrow. It was only tacked in anyway.
I normally establish a centerline on the car and
work from that... and make sure its level... a little
here and a little there shows up on the build
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Re: Chassis Guys, a little help please?
[Re: loaderpro]
#1572334
02/03/14 05:21 PM
02/03/14 05:21 PM
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,602
Fulton County, PA
CMcAllister
Mr. Helpful
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Mr. Helpful
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,602
Fulton County, PA
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It's normal for an original body, especially one from that era, to be less than perfect. I will always try to get the suspension geometry dead nuts and do what you have to do to make it look right. Suspension and driveline geometry has to be correct. The rest is just along for the ride. Putting something together crooked to make it look right is a skill acquired when working with this old sheet metal.
If the results don't match the theory, change the theory.
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makes workin on these cars sssoooo much easier so, why stop now........... 
You can find/build anything and everything off of a centerline string. Your garage or shop build should ALWAYS start with one. A bit of a pain to set up for the novice, but once you learn it, it is very easy, but very time consuming. I wear out tape measures when putting these things together! And Mike is right when he says 3/8 is close on a stock framed car...you have already found 1/8 of the 3/8, and I am betting if you did a centerline string you would find some more of it, or find where a small mistake was made. Generally we always strive to get it dead nuts, and sometimes you get it, but in reality a 1/8 plus/minus tolerance is the general rule.