Rear end location wrong? IM STUMPED!!!

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jrlhayton said:
Do think reaming out the spring perch holes a bit on both sides would help
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Don't do that.
The hole locates the rear and when they are out of round or wallard out the axle can get sideways to the body.

Also if the axle can move at all, it will wear the axle tubes under the u bolts and get looser. I had to have a couple housings welded up around the tube and the locating hole made round again.
 
Do you have the leafs in the proper side? RH will have 1 or 2 more leafs. Count them and see. It seems to me it is getting over thought here. OP only changed the leaf springs, It will be something simple
 
AJ/FormS said:
That's factory tolerance.
But, here's a hint.
>If you have an 8.75 rear end, then the axle end-play adjuster is supposed to be, on the passenger side. Have a look. Maybe yours is on the driver's side. The adjuster can be as much 3/8ths off-set, which is doubled when moved from side to side.I moved mine to the other side, which got it nearly centered.
>Also, pop the wheels off and measure the exct backspace of each, maybe you can get some change there. On my 10" Rally wheels, I had to cut the spider out of one of them, and move it over a hair, to get the sidewall off the fender lip.
>And finally, if the quarters on your car, are not original, some guys will just install the new patch-panel, OVER the old one, and there it is, lol.

Altho your story is somewhat unique.
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All true and good advice. I ended up with the same problem after replacing an entire quarter panel, but only had about a 3/8 difference. Try taking a close look at your 1/16 side to see if it's been replaced or patched. If I ever do that again, I'll fit the new quarter with the new wheel/tire on. Also, the width of the lip on a repop can be wider than OE. If your thrust angle is OK, I would just cut a little bit off the 1/16 side to get better sidewall clearance. Nobody can see both sides at once.
 
I am running Mopar Performance oval track leaf springs. These are about 1/2" shorter than stock and require a slightly longer front leaf spring mount.
1736005820862.png

A Body with Mopar Performance Oval Track Leaf Springs​

Item #: MREAR118KIT

Write a Review
Price: $145.99 Leaf Spring Front Hanger Kit

They also allow for ride height adjustment which can be useful. You can also put shims behind the mount to space it rearwards for even more clearance. Worked for me.
 
hemifiedbird said:
Do you have the leafs in the proper side? RH will have 1 or 2 more leafs. Count them and see. It seems to me it is getting over thought here. OP only changed the leaf springs, It will be something simple
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This might be a possibility! Was thinking about doing this. As for the springs, they're the same on both sides. I put in Hotchkis leafs with 1" drop and geometry corrected!
 
360notch said:
All true and good advice. I ended up with the same problem after replacing an entire quarter panel, but only had about a 3/8 difference. Try taking a close look at your 1/16 side to see if it's been replaced or patched. If I ever do that again, I'll fit the new quarter with the new wheel/tire on. Also, the width of the lip on a repop can be wider than OE. If your thrust angle is OK, I would just cut a little bit off the 1/16 side to get better sidewall clearance. Nobody can see both sides at once.
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The clearances on both sides were the same before I changed the leaf springs.
 
RLF Cuda said:
I am running Mopar Performance oval track leaf springs. These are about 1/2" shorter than stock and require a slightly longer front leaf spring mount.
View attachment 1716348012

A Body with Mopar Performance Oval Track Leaf Springs​

Item #: MREAR118KIT

Write a Review
Price: $145.99 Leaf Spring Front Hanger Kit

They also allow for ride height adjustment which can be useful. You can also put shims behind the mount to space it rearwards for even more clearance. Worked for me.
Click to expand...
The issue isn't front to back its side to side clearance issues!
 
360notch said:
All true and good advice. I ended up with the same problem after replacing an entire quarter panel, but only had about a 3/8 difference. Try taking a close look at your 1/16 side to see if it's been replaced or patched. If I ever do that again, I'll fit the new quarter with the new wheel/tire on. Also, the width of the lip on a repop can be wider than OE. If your thrust angle is OK, I would just cut a little bit off the 1/16 side to get better sidewall clearance. Nobody can see both sides at once.
Click to expand...
Yeah it's all good now, the tubs accept 325/50-15s on 10s.
 
jrlhayton said:
This might be a possibility! Was thinking about doing this. As for the springs, they're the same on both sides. I put in Hotchkis leafs with 1" drop and geometry corrected!
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Original had 1 or 2 extra leaves depending on applications, I am not familiar with Hotchkis. Being said for all the time it takes if your going to swap side to side. lay them out beside your old springs and measure them up. You may see a difference on the floor. If not slide them back in and see how they fit. To me it sounds like something simple. I would compare center pin location with the old springs and make sure(double check) its located on the axle properly
 
jrlhayton said:
The clearances on both sides were the same before I changed the leaf springs.
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Whoa! I apologize for missing that.

Because the front of the springs are so short and stiff, the problem is likely somewhere between the hanger and the mounting pin, assuming no changes to anything else.
 
Put the car on jack stands and let the rear hang without the shocks. Remove the tires and drum, Measure the width of the wheel house to see if there is a difference from the rail out . Find a straight piece to hold against the axles to measure from axle flange to Quarter lip, a level would work.

Check the difference from side to side the way you have it tightened in.

Then loosen all the hardware holding the rear in. This would be, The 4 nuts in front holding the hanger, The large bolts through the bushing in front of the spring, The 2 bolts holding the rear bracket. and U-bolts . Shackles can stay tight .

While the rear is hanging center being held where you want it. ( I would use a bent bar off the side of the carrier snubber and hold the rear center) . Then tighten the 4 front nuts and the 2 rear bolts on each side.

Check your measurement then tighten the U-bolts. Check it again To see if the leafs are arched to the side .

Put the weight of the car on the rear axle how ever you want and Tighten the front bushing bolts. Then install the shocks and tires. Should stay center.
 
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I didn't read thru ever post but all my a-bodies have been closer to the lip on the left side. It's more noticeable on the early a-bodies because of the tight clearance. You can cut off the perches and reweld or just hog the holes out a little and put a washer on the top side and weld them on to center the axle. Works like a lucky charm.
 
LO23M8B said:
I didn't read thru ever post but all my a-bodies have been closer to the lip on the left side. It's more noticeable on the early a-bodies because of the tight clearance. You can cut off the perches and reweld or just hog the holes out a little and put a washer on the top side and weld them on to center the axle. Works like a lucky charm.
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He claims clearance was OK with the old springs. something wrong with springs or Installation
 
Forget it. It is. But if it was he needs to start by loosening up everything, pull it right and re tighten. But its probably been mentioned before.
 
hemifiedbird said:
He claims clearance was OK with the old springs. something wrong with springs or Installation
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i think it's two fold: it's tolerance stack for one thing, and the other factor is that he's lowered the car putting the wheel/tire combo more into the well and proximity to the lip where the sectional width of the tire is now exacerbating the already limited space.

245 is about the absolute limit on stock backspaced wheels and most of the guys running that have the *** end up higher.
 
Going to ask a dumb question having just read thru the installation instructions on Hotchkis website, but verify the new Hotchkis front spring hanger mounting holes are drilled symmetrically in the center of their bracket where they bolt to the car or if there is a bracket with the 4 bolt patter drilled off center from Hotchkis. It would not take much of an error in these holes to get your tolerance stack to go one way or the other but that bracket is not the same one that located your old springs originally and could be the issue with your new springs locations. Left to right swapping those if they favor one side could solve your problem.
 
LO23M8B said:
Forget it. It is. But if it was he needs to start by loosening up everything, pull it right and re tighten. But its probably been mentioned before.
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Well, I did just that yesterday and gained only a 16th of an inch. I also checked (measured) the old springs with the new ones and they're the same! So my buddy (auto body guy) is coming over with fender lip roller tool and get me some more clearance. I'd rather a professional do it then me and I don't really want to cut the lip.

Again, thanks everyone for the help and I keep you all posted with the progress! Hopefully have everything buttoned up before this spring when I go back to work.
 
hemifiedbird said:
If they were OK before then your issue is with your new leaf springs or Installation of the springs
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hemifiedbird said:
He claims clearance was OK with the old springs. something wrong with springs or Installation
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Nothing is wrong with the springs. The new springs lowered the car over an inch, which made the unsymmetrical nature of the car obvious. I'm sure it all cleared before, but it had more to do with ride height than body clearance.

junkyardhero said:
i think it's two fold: it's tolerance stack for one thing, and the other factor is that he's lowered the car putting the wheel/tire combo more into the well and proximity to the lip where the sectional width of the tire is now exacerbating the already limited space.

245 is about the absolute limit on stock backspaced wheels and most of the guys running that have the *** end up higher.
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This.

The wheels on the OP's car don't have enough backspace to max out the tire size in the back. 1" from tire to springs means there's a 1/2" of lost space there.
 
72bluNblu said:
Nothing is wrong with the springs. The new springs lowered the car over an inch, which made the unsymmetrical nature of the car obvious. I'm sure it all cleared before, but it had more to do with ride height than body clearance.



This.

The wheels on the OP's car don't have enough backspace to max out the tire size in the back. 1" from tire to springs means there's a 1/2" of lost space there.
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So you think I should go with more or less backspacing?? A 1/2" on both?
 
jrlhayton said:
So you think I should go with more or less backspacing?? A 1/2" on both?
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that's dependent on a lot of things.

are you trying to squeeze max tire in there? are you trying to buy new rims? are you trying to buy new tires? what do you currently have? can you go more without moving the spring?

unless you're following a recipe there's no one single answer. ,

and even then, when you start to push the edges of what will fit at max, max, you can get that tolerance stack that will throw a wrench into everything.
 
junkyardhero said:
that's dependent on a lot of things.

are you trying to squeeze max tire in there? are you trying to buy new rims? are you trying to buy new tires? what do you currently have? can you go more without moving the spring?

unless you're following a recipe there's no one single answer. ,

and even then, when you start to push the edges of what will fit at max, max, you can get that tolerance stack that will throw a wrench into everything.
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There are crager (sp) 14" rims w/ 225/60r14 front and 245/60r14 back tires on now. I'm hoping I can go to a 15 or 16 diameter rim with a 225/50r15 or 16 on the front and 255/50r15 or16 on the back with a 7in wide rim. My thought is less bulge in the tire may help with clearance and I'm not a big fan of the taller tires like my pops was.
I need to figure out the backspacing on the rims and plus or minus them correct?
 
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