Fixing bed shift

[GeorgeLeonard]

When changing tires the other day, I noticed the right tire is closer to the bed side than the left tire. Im assuming the bed has shifted so how does one fix it? I bought an adjustable tracking arm. Now Im guessing that I take the old arm off, shove the bed over to be centered between the wheels, and attach the new arm adjusted so as to keep the bed in its new centered position. Is that pretty much it? Am I over simplifying things? Is there any more to it than that?

[losthope]

its the opposite way around...when you lower the truck the axle/rearend is pushed over towards the right side of the truck with the stock trac arm, undo the track arm and center your axle/rear end in between the bed (you can tape measure from outside frame rail to inside of tire or back of brake drum on each side ) and adjust your new trac arm and install.......your bed is bolted to the frame it never moves....

[GeorgeLeonard]

The disparity is not due to lowering as the truck is not lowered. So instead of shoving the bed, I need to move the wheels/axle? How do you do that, I guess you would need a lift to get the wheels off the ground?
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[losthope]

Oh my mistake i assumed it was from lowering ,most the time guys lower the truck's and run into that problem ,if its not from lowering,.. it might just be the bed, but first id take measurements and find out whats off....use the frame rails as a center point's and measure first the bedsides off of frame rails......... then measure off the frame rails to backing plates on the rearend......find out which ones not centered....have to find out whats off before moving things.........if your bed is not centered on your frame a adjustable track bars not going to do anything for that..........adjustable trac bar will only be able to help center your rearend under the center of your frame...

[GeorgeLeonard]

Oh, so the rear end may be centered under the frame. But the bed may not be centered on the frame. That makes it a whole different thing then. Im glad I asked first. Thanks for your input. Guess Ill have to get under there and take a better look around. This may be good news or maybe bad. Ill report back but maybe not until Spring.

On a topic that may be related, I notice that when I go around a curve that might be a little tight or if Im going a little fast, the rear end seems to slip out and cause tire squeal. Could I be dealing with a frame that is out of alignment?

[61_FL_Apache]

I would get the rear centered to the frame first and then see where the bed is. I had to go thru this when lowering my truck. Once the rear is centered with the frame, the bed was lined up right. When doing this, make sure the weight is on the wheels and not off the ground.

[GeorgeLeonard]

@61_FL_Apache So once you found that the frame was not lined up with the rear, what did you do? Take off the trac bar and shove the bed over until it lined up? Thats where I started this thread, isnt it?