8.75 in early a body clearance issue

Sounds like the perches aren't centered. It's not unusual for them to be off by as much as a 1/4" to one side or the other from the factory. Much more than that and you've got issues. And it sounds like yours might be shifted more than that.

In addition to measuring the width of the axle to make sure it's actually A-body width, you can measure from the flange to the perches on each side. Obviously that measurement should be the same side to side. If it's not the axle won't be centered.