8 3/4 tracking

[terry]

hi folks need some input here
how can you tell if your rear end is tracking perfectly straight?
if i measure the distance from the front of the drivers side tire to the bottom of the wheel well i get 1 1/8 inch. but the passenger side i get about .875 in
this makes me think the rear end is not straight.
thanks
terry

 

[daredevil]

I would measure from the point where front spring hanger meets the frame to center of axle located pin in the shock plate. Everything should be squared off the frame.

 

[pettybludart]

Has your car had 1/4 panels replaced?I,d measure from spring hanger at frame to center of axel.

 

[LXguy]

Curious = How do you correct it if its not straight?

Never done that on a leaf spring car before.

 

[terry]

hi guys i will measure from the front spring bushing to the center of the axel. the panels have not been replaced.but i did replace the spring seats after installing the off set spring kit. and maybe am off. i did drill another hole in the seats so i could pull the rear back about 3/8 of an inch and would get more room for the rear tire in the wheel well.
thanks
terry

 

[RustyRatRod]

the only way to do it accurately and correctly is by getting a thrust angle alignment check. this compares the rear axle centerline with the imaginary centerline of the vehicle to assure the two angles are perpendicular. you DON'T want a thrust angle alignment. just a thrust angle CHECK. you'll have trouble findin an alignment shop that knows how to do that nowadays. good luck.

 

[340duster]

There is a good article here if you want to do it yourself. This is called "stringing your car". It is part of stock car set-up.

http://stockcarracing.automotive.com/49440/scrp-0705-wheel-geometry-stringing/index.html

This will tell you if you have a bent rear axle or a straight axle, but misaligned to the car.

 

[75Sport]

Terry, with your car setting on level concrete use a plumb bob and string to drop lines down to the floor from both of your front spring eye bolts. Then do the same from the axle center lines down to the floor. Using a chalk line snap lines on the floor connecting the two front points and then do the same for the axle center points. Measure the distance between the front lines and rear lines at the wheel well area. These dimensions should be identical which means the rear axle centerline is the same as the spring pocket centerlines. This would confirm that when you redrilled the seats the dimensions matched. If everything matches then depending on your model you can find matching factory punched assembly holes in the frame rail bottoms several inches ahead of the front spring hangers(boxes) which are in the same location from one side to the other. When you find these holes drop your plumb again from the frame holes to the ground on each side of the car and then snap another line on the concrete which is now the third parallel line on the floor. Measure from this line back to the axle center line and see if the dimensions are the same. If they aren't then the spring hanger(box) needs to be loosened and shimmed on one side or the other which will move the axle centerline parallel to the chassis centerline. Hope this helps sorry for the length 75Sport