Measurements

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Mopower71

Mopower71

Speed Demon
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Ok People,
Where is a good place to take measurements from the rear axle to body/frame, to make sure the rear is square. Also same thing for the front end to body/frame.
The right rear tire is almost resting on the front side of the wheel opening, where the left side has 1" plus clearance.
The front right tire has around 1" till the front of the fender opening, and the left has over 2". I did replace front end components so it will require an alignment. But I'm not sure it will move that far back.

235x75x15.jpg


left qp damage.jpg
 
you can drop a plumb bob from the front of the axel and measure forward to some of the measuring holes on the front subframe
 
Good idea waggin or maybe

On the rear, find a point such as the shock plates and measure to the end of the frame rail on each side.

As far as the front pictures, did the RF sit forward in the wheelwell like this before you rebuilt the front end?
 
6pk2goDemon said:
Good idea waggin or maybe

On the rear, find a point such as the shock plates and measure to the end of the frame rail on each side.

As far as the front pictures, did the RF sit forward in the wheelwell like this before you rebuilt the front end?
Click to expand...
I don't remember it sitting like that, but it's been sitting for over six years, so I don't remember.
 
Here's a good one.
Car has not been driven since I did the front end, and has been in the garage. The rubber boot on the right outer tie rod is split in half and falling off.
 
Wow, six years is a long time. What the heck you been doing....Ha,ha. The alignment might not be an issue. It could just be really really whacked from the new components. I've seen worse many times, but the great thing about the old Mopars is they have full adjustments, not like the new cars where you're lucky to get a factory camber adj.

The tie rod boots can be found in the "Help" section of some auto parts stores too.
 
Wheelbase on a Swinger should be 111" measured from center of wheel to center of wheel. Maybe start there......

Alot of issues involved from your pics.
 
Put my 70 Duster on jackstands in '87; set up a new Dana and 4 link. Let it sit until last year- my marks on the floor were gone. Went crazy for a week, trying to check square, again, I was off 1", but remembered being good.. Then I realized I was pulling measurements from the front hubs, which may be turned. All kind of erractic #'s.
Then I figured it out; Drop a plumb bob from the lower ball joint grease plug, make a mark on the floor, then plumb from the rear flange C/L.
But, if measuring from floor pan hole, fenders, etc- there is 1/2" difference from each side.
 
green1 said:
Put my 70 Duster on jackstands in '87; set up a new Dana and 4 link. Let it sit until last year- my marks on the floor were gone. Went crazy for a week, trying to check square, again, I was off 1", but remembered being good.. Then I realized I was pulling measurements from the front hubs, which may be turned. All kind of erractic #'s.
Then I figured it out; Drop a plumb bob from the lower ball joint grease plug, make a mark on the floor, then plumb from the rear flange C/L.
But, if measuring from floor pan hole, fenders, etc- there is 1/2" difference from each side.
Click to expand...

This method looks good. Measure diagonally to see if it is square. Going front to rear will tell you if wheelbase is okay, but it will not tell you if it is square.

To verify, use a plumb bob to make a mark on the floor in the measured center of the car at the transmission crossmember. Measure from this point to each of the two front points previously marked. If square, they should be the same. Do the same for the rear marks.
 
the plum bob from the front grease fittings can be off because of bushings etc,thats why I pull measurements off of frame
 
Looks like you are starting from scratch here... I might try to do the following:

On the rear axle, ID an outer point, maybe the shock bolt. Measure diagonally from the shock bolt to a point on the front frame on the opposite side (Maybe the point where the torsion box meets the front frame rail. When measuring the second side, be sure you are measuring like points (shock bolt diagonally to the identical spot on the frame. The outermost spot you can get on the axle and the farthest point diagonally for the longest measurement will be best. That should get your rear axle "close". A question I have, since I haven't tackled this yet on my car: doesn't the rear leaf springs and the axle mounting plate have "set" points? I will be doing my Duster in the next couple of months, but on my Pontiac, the bottom leaf had a tit that seated into a hole in the mounting plate. There was no real "adjustment" for the rear axle. Your's is clearly off, though. You might check this before going into diagonal measurements first.

Now, let's move on to the front. Take a long string and clamp it to the rear of the rear tire, or have someone hold it. pull it tight so that it just touches the front edge of the rear tire. The object is to pull the string straight from the rear of the rear tire. At the front tire, turn the wheel until the string just grazes both the back edge and front edge of the front tire. What we want is a straight line so that the tires are truely lined up. At this point, take your measurement from the center of the front spindle to the center of the rear axle. Repeat this process on the other side of the car. Don't worry that you are having to turn the wheel some to get the line straight. After both measurements are taken, you can start your adjustments. Moving one front wheel back, or the other forward, or some combination. When you've got it so that both are on the money, tighten things up and head for a good four wheel alignment shop.

It sounds complicated, but is not, really. If I were going to be home today I would take a couple pictures showing you what I mean. If you don't get it, shoot me a PM and I will post a couple pictures tomorrow.
C
 
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