Shift axle over to fit wider tire?
#2952205
08/09/21 09:10 PM
08/09/21 09:10 PM
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 115 Tampa Bay
BadFishy
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OP
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 115
Tampa Bay
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Wanting wider rear tires. 255 now, want 275. Problem is the passenger quarter panel lip is too far in by 1/4”. That panel was replaced. I figure I only need another 1/4” - to be safe - so the lip won’t rub the tire. Lip was already trimmed to the welds. Not enough left to roll it. Plenty of room on the driver side. Not wanting to change the wheels. Not wanting to reposition / re-weld the spring perches.
So my question is how much might be gained by loosening the leaf spring U-bolts and shackles on both sides, wiggling and prying the axle toward the driver side, repositioning the U-bolts and tightening it all back?
Besides this, open to any other creative ideas! Thanks a lot.
1971 Cuda, 440 custom-build
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Re: Shift axle over to fit wider tire?
[Re: BadFishy]
#2952231
08/09/21 09:28 PM
08/09/21 09:28 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,853 Pattison Texas
CSK
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master
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Pattison Texas
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Take the rear shackles off, get new rubber bushings for them, loosen the u bolts then push on the shackle end of the springs & measure the side to side room, tighten u bolts, reinstall shackles but DO not over tighten them like most people do, I did this but I have sliders in place of my Shackles worked great.
1968 Charger COLD A/C Hilborn EFI 512ci 9.7 compression, Stealth heads, 4.10 gear A518 ODtrans 4100lb,10.93 full street car trim 2020 T/A 392 Stock 11.79 @ 114.5
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Re: Shift axle over to fit wider tire?
[Re: Sniper]
#2952243
08/09/21 09:38 PM
08/09/21 09:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,789 Hamilton, Ontario Canada
Magnum
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Hamilton, Ontario Canada
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Might want out bust out a tape measure and see if the axle is square in the chassis. The FSM will give you the spits to measure against. Might find you are out of square as is, or will make it out of square shifting it and then you dog track. /\ excellent answer. If the front fender was rubbing on one tire, would you run a negative camber to clear it? end of thread.
69 Super Bee, 93 Mustang LX, 04 Allure Super
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Re: Shift axle over to fit wider tire?
[Re: Magnum]
#2952246
08/09/21 09:46 PM
08/09/21 09:46 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,853 Pattison Texas
CSK
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Posts: 2,853
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LOL, like these cars were square when new LOL, moving the rear over 1/4 of an inch will not cause a problem & yes I said to measure things I used the inner wheel well to measure off of
Last edited by csk; 08/09/21 09:49 PM.
1968 Charger COLD A/C Hilborn EFI 512ci 9.7 compression, Stealth heads, 4.10 gear A518 ODtrans 4100lb,10.93 full street car trim 2020 T/A 392 Stock 11.79 @ 114.5
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Re: Shift axle over to fit wider tire?
[Re: CSK]
#2952360
08/10/21 10:02 AM
08/10/21 10:02 AM
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Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 141 Missouri
randavis
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Posts: 141
Missouri
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LOL, like these cars were square when new LOL I am the original owner of a '74 Challenger. When I took it for it's first front end alignment, the shop found that there was a one inch difference in wheelbase from side to side. I took it back to the dealer and complained until they fixed it. IIRC they cut the perches off of the rear axle and welded on new ones.
74 Challenger, bought it new. In 1978 I replaced the original 318 with a 446 and 727. Mild cam, Jardine headers, and Holley Sniper EFI. New engine! 511" RB, Edelbrock Performer RPM heads, Eagle rotating assy, Comp hyd roller cam, Doug's 2" headers.
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Re: Shift axle over to fit wider tire?
[Re: poorboy]
#2953080
08/12/21 10:25 AM
08/12/21 10:25 AM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 5,789 Hamilton, Ontario Canada
Magnum
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Posts: 5,789
Hamilton, Ontario Canada
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Not all cars were as crooked as you guys think. I measured my 69 Bee's rear axle with plumb bobs. To check the thrust angle to the center of the front suspension. I was within a 1/16". This is less than a 1/16" over 117".
So what if you are correct and it is off 1/4". Then you want to move it over another 1/4". That is now 1/2". Unacceptable. Try a little harder to get things correct and stop accepting the fact that these cars had poor tolerances.
I can understand not wanting to unweld and reweld a car together to make it a little better but do not reweld to make it worse. If the problem is in the body/quarter. Adjust the quarter. It would not take much to pull an outer quarter over a bit. Square cars for the road, this is not dirt racing or moving a wheel ahead to catch a win light.
Last edited by Magnum; 08/12/21 10:27 AM.
69 Super Bee, 93 Mustang LX, 04 Allure Super
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