Author Topic: Help! Rear axle is offset to the left (looking from the front)  (Read 729 times)

Offline banana70

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Help! Rear axle is offset to the left (looking from the front)
« on: February 03, 2009 - 09:21:41 PM »
After having the car almost re-assembled,  I was leaving for the day and noticed, looking from the front thru the drive shaft "tunnel" into the yoke, that it was "moved" to the left (I think about an inch). I came close an noticed that the rubber at the top of the case is not centered in relation to the body.

I haven't done any measurements but is evident at plain sight.

This car had PARTIAL REAR FRAME RAILS changed, full quarter panels changed and trunk floor (the two piece tipe) changed...

Is this offset normal?, Is it necessary that the yoke (looking from the front) is centered to the drive shaft tunnel?

if so.. How can I fix this??
« Last Edit: February 03, 2009 - 10:32:23 PM by banana70 »




Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Help! Rear axle is offset to the left (looking from the front)
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2009 - 01:32:15 AM »
generally the diff is off by about 1/4" to one side going by the fender lip , not sure where that leaves the pinion in relation to the tunnel but it probably wasn`t centered either , the whole engine & tranny are located just over 1 " towards the passenger side so the tunnel may be centered but the shaft was off to the passenger side through the tunnel

Challenger - You`ll wish You Hadn`t

Offline miketyler

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Re: Help! Rear axle is offset to the left (looking from the front)
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2009 - 06:10:33 AM »
yup - mine was off about that much and still is. An inch is WAAAYY too much I would think. Since the pring perches on the axle are fixed, something would have to be grossly mislocated.
72' Cuda restomod
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Offline banana70

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Re: Help! Rear axle is offset to the left (looking from the front)
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2009 - 09:02:14 AM »
Hey guys thanks for the comments...

I'm leaving for the shop now to take measurements and some pics...

I'll keep you posted with more info so maybe we can come to conclusions

Offline Roppa440

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Re: Help! Rear axle is offset to the left (looking from the front)
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2009 - 09:53:33 AM »
If you look closely at most Mopars you will see that the wheels are not centered under the car. This was the norm back then. It does not really matter as long as the distance between the wheel centers front to back are the same each side.

Because I was pushing the limits with my tire clearence to the wheel lips, I decided to center the axle on my Challenger. The spring perches had been removed anyway because I was fitting offset spring hangers. So it was a simple matter to center the wheels under the car, at the same time as setting the pinion angle, before welding the new spring perches in place.

If anyone decides to try this you must make sure your axle shaft endplay is correcly adjusted first as the adjustment moves the right wheel in and out.
Dave
1970 Challenger R/T
1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited