How to center rear wheels in weel well

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RichardJ916

RichardJ916

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I have read a lot about how to center the wheels in the rear of my 1972 Plymouth Duster. I have the springs moved inward and the current size of the tire are 275/60/15. The trouble I have is the passenger tire sits a little closer to the rear of the opening than the drivers side. I read you could re-drill the hole in the spring perches to adjust for this or fix the box mounted to the front of the spring. I will be taking the car over to mans house that could do what ever it takes to fix this trouble, but just wanted to tell him what you thought would be the correct way. I do not race it nor launch the car hard by no means. Just the best way to repair this trouble. I am not sure how the front mounts are mounted but I can find out more if you ask me what to look for. If there is no answer now how to resolve this issue maybe I should buy a 255/60/15 tire and be done with it.

Richard Jorgensen
 
*I think* you were just reading a thread that suggested the best, easiest way was to use a spacer in between the front spring hanger and the spot on the body where the studs go through.

With the springs moved inwards, the bolt hole for the front of the spring may not be able to moved unless it is a substantial amount. Enough to create a full hole with some metal in between the old hole. Enough so it won't intrude or wear into the old hole. True, a good welder can fix anything.....

Before you center the wheel in the opening, take measurements to see if the wheels are even in distance from what ever point you choose to measure from. Like the center of the T bar cross member, door seam or .... NOT the trans tail.
 
rumblefish360 said:
*I think* you were just reading a thread that suggested the best, easiest way was to use a spacer in between the front spring hanger and the spot on the body where the studs go through.

With the springs moved inwards, the bolt hole for the front of the spring may not be able to moved unless it is a substantial amount. Enough to create a full hole with some metal in between the old hole. Enough so it won't intrude or wear into the old hole. True, a good welder can fix anything.....

Before you center the wheel in the opening, take measurements to see if the wheels are even in distance from what ever point you choose to measure from. Like the center of the trans tailshaft or the T bar cross
Member, or ....
Click to expand...

Totally agree. Make sure the axle is square to the chassis. Just because the clearance is off to the wheel tub doesn't mean its out of wack from the chassis. If it is you have a beef with whoever installed your relocated spring boxes, because as rumblefish said you don't have the option to shim the hanger with that set up.

Hope you didn't move your springs 3" inboard just to run stock tubs and 275/60/15's, you could have cleared those with the springs in the stock locations on a Duster.
 
The person that I got the car from did move the springs inward with intensions on putting bigger tires on the car, I was the one that put the 275/60/15 on the car. Now that the spring box's are welded to the frame all ready I am not sure if I want to mess with moving the springs forward to fix this trouble, like I've said I don't mind getting smaller tires to fix once and for all. Here is a picture of the passenger tire, pictures shows distance from front of wheel well and rear of wheel well on the passenger side.

Passanger Side Behind Tire.jpg


Passanger Side Front of Tire.jpg
 
For some reason it just doesn't seem like a 275/60/15 will fix into the opening of a 19" opening on my Duster. Without some sort of closeness to either the front or the rear of the opening...
 
LOL, yea, it is a large tire.

Just make sure the rear sit squarely and your good to go. What others have done for larger tires, in example 30+ inches of slick, is to widen the well opening. I do *Believe* they go to the front of the tires and open that up.
 
Well for starters, your 275/60/15's should actually be inside the wheel tub, not hanging out at the wheel opening. You must have a ton of space to the inside tub. Those cragars probably have a 3-something ish backspace to look like that. Move them in an inch or so and you wouldn't have to worry too much about the wheel opening.
 
I am going to remove the Tires again this weekend to measure the backspacing of the rims. I understand what you are saying about being inside the tub. The Wheel well tub on the upper lip the tire does sit inside that lip for sure its the front and rear of the fenders that look kinda close for comfort.

Thanks
 
I will post all measurements later tonight rim size - back spacing - tire size tonight. Thanks guys for helping in this issue, I am just not getting this trouble. Thanks again.
 
Before you take the wheels off, measure from the fattest part of the tire bulge, on the in-board side, to the inner wall of the tub. Do this with the wheel at normal ride height. And do both sides.
 
AJ/FormS said:
Before you take the wheels off, measure from the fattest part of the tire bulge, on the in-board side, to the inner wall of the tub. Do this with the wheel at normal ride height. And do both sides.
Click to expand...
I am pretty sure that the only issue I have is the tire is rubbing the lip of the opening of the wheel well, the opening is 19" and the tire is once in a while rubbing the opening not the inter side at all.
 
RichardJ916 said:
I am pretty sure that the only issue I have is the tire is rubbing the lip of the opening of the wheel well, the opening is 19" and the tire is once in a while rubbing the opening not the inter side at all.
Click to expand...
The reason possibly that he asked you to accomplish that measurement is so you will know how much space on the inside you have available. That way you can look at getting rims with the proper backspacing. You want to try to split the difference so the tire/wheel is centered from side to side in the well.
 
Brad4406 said:
The reason possibly that he asked you to accomplish that measurement is so you will know how much space on the inside you have available. That way you can look at getting rims with the proper backspacing. You want to try to split the difference so the tire/wheel is centered from side to side in the well.
Click to expand...
OK I understand, keep in mind the springs have been moved inward in order for a bigger tire.
 
Ever hear the phrase "centerline thrust"?
Have you ever followed your own car on a straight road?

I know, complications complications but best informed before than learned after.:D
 
TrailBeast said:
Ever hear the phrase "centerline thrust"?
Have you ever followed your own car on a straight road?

I know, complications complications but best informed before than learned after.:D
Click to expand...


What does this mean...Please explain what you are saying. best informed before than learned after
 
RichardJ916 said:
What does this mean...Please explain what you are saying. best informed before than learned after
Click to expand...

This is about where the rear end of the car is compared to the front end in a lane, and when you lay into the throttle where the direction of the force is compared to the rest of the car.
Your car can go down the road slightly sideways, and/or when on the throttle it can push sideways on the front end making the steering different from right to left.
I test this by using full throttle in second gear during a sweeping turn left and right.
If one direction tries to fight the steering a bit more or feel like it tries to dig in more on one side than the other there is a problem with the centerline thrust.
When you move one side of the rear end this can get thrown off or made worse.

The best informed statement just meant you might need to know about that before you move something permanently only for the sake of visual differences between the two sides.

I have found that most people never consider this, or even know about it.
 
99% of the time it's just the sheet metal that's a little "off". These cars were slapped together. Nobody cared if both sides were identical. Don't start moving springs, axles, etc... until you know what the real problem is.
 
TrailBeast said:
This is about where the rear end of the car is compared to the front end in a lane, and when you lay into the throttle where the direction of the force is compared to the rest of the car.
Your car can go down the road slightly sideways, and/or when on the throttle it can push sideways on the front end making the steering different from right to left.
I test this by using full throttle in second gear during a sweeping turn left and right.
If one direction tries to fight the steering a bit more or feel like it tries to dig in more on one side than the other there is a problem with the centerline thrust.
When you move one side of the rear end this can get thrown off or made worse.

The best informed statement just meant you might need to know about that before you move something permanently only for the sake of visual differences between the two sides.

I have found that most people never consider this, or even know about it.
Click to expand...
Now I understand what it means, I am going to have the car looked at tomorrow and we will know where we need to move from there. 4 Wheel alignment tomorrow will tell if the rear is true to the front end and then I will be able to tell if we need to figure out why the rear is the way it is. I don't drive the car hard or race it to know if it will pull in one direction or not, but once we are done here I will update all here.
Thanks for all everyone's help in this matter...

Thanks
 
69_340_GTS said:
99% of the time it's just the sheet metal that's a little "off". These cars were slapped together. Nobody cared if both sides were identical. Don't start moving springs, axles, etc... until you know what the real problem is.
Click to expand...
After talking to lot of others I am getting the feeling that this my be the issue of Body parts being put on out of alignment.
 
I think this is going to be the case, when all said and done it looks like some can run 275/60/15 while other have to stick with 255/60/15 which are almost 1 inch smaller of a tire. Then it will fit inside the wheel well just fine. With plenty of room.
 
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