Please give me your opinion....51 3600 build

[mgeez]

Quick and brief history of my build:
Started with an original '51 3600 stake body.
Bought a '52 3800 with the xtra long bed.
Shortened the extra long bed to around 7' and installed on the 3600 cab / frame per factory dim's.
I have had 3 comments from 3 very good friends that when I ask them for honest opinions, they give me honest opinions.
All 3 say that my rear wheel is not centered in the rear fender. I have studied about 25 online pics of 3600's and do notice that the wheels appear to be somewhat forward of the rear fender centerline, if there is such a dimension. Below is a pic of my build in process. Sorry for the poor quality pics. Whats your opinion?

[hyatt]

none have wheels centered origionally

[dubie]

do you plan on lowering it?
The rear wheel does look a bit to far forward in this picture. Your front tire also looks closer to the rear of the front fender rather than being centered.

[mgeez]

Originally Posted by dubie

do you plan on lowering it?
The rear wheel does look a bit to far forward in this picture. Your front tire also looks closer to the rear of the front fender rather than being centered.

No plans to lower it. The front suspension / fender placement is original. I will try to take a clearer pic tonite. Space is really crammed in the barn right now for a really good pic. I can move the rear fenders forward, but that will require shortening the running boards and the side aprons, again!

[mr48chev]

If I didn't know that it was a 3600 rather than a 3100 I'd think that you had swapped rear ends and hadn't relocated the hole in the spring pad to center the axle in the wheel well. That is exactly how most of them look when guys bolt the axle down with the hole for the spring bolt directly under the center of the axle rather than drilled the 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 in front of center to move the axle back and center it.
Does the truck have an engine, trans and drive shaft in it now? If you were going to swap engines and transmissions you could conceivably move the axle back to center it in the opening before you built a new drive shaft and none would be the wiser.

[54worker]

Could you maybe move the bed forward. By the pics, there may be some room or you may have to shorten it some more. Just a thought.
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[alaska gasser]

Another easy fix I used on my truck was new spring saddles. I picked up a set on EBAY for about $35 that were drilled with an 1 1/2 inch offset.

[Dodger]

Don't know if it would help but what size wheels are you running?

Here's a pic of my stock suspension 3600 and I think yours looks a little further forward maybe. I run 15s. It maybe possible the a rim size change may alter the look a little. Wouldn't solve it totally but there are a few good options already suggested.

The angle of the my pic probably makes the rear wheel appear a little further forward than it looks when you are square on.


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[mgeez]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

If I didn't know that it was a 3600 rather than a 3100 I'd think that you had swapped rear ends and hadn't relocated the hole in the spring pad to center the axle in the wheel well. That is exactly how most of them look when guys bolt the axle down with the hole for the spring bolt directly under the center of the axle rather than drilled the 1-1/2 or 1-3/4 in front of center to move the axle back and center it.
Does the truck have an engine, trans and drive shaft in it now? If you were going to swap engines and transmissions you could conceivably move the axle back to center it in the opening before you built a new drive shaft and none would be the wiser.

Yes, the truck is drivable now. I thought about moving the axle back a bit on the springs. But then I evaluated all potential problems; driveshaft length, emergency cables maxed to the limit length now, time involved, etc.
The running board and apron shortening is the cheapest alternative ($0.00) I have right now and time involved for me will be 2 days. I am pretty sure the axle / springs have never been touched since new.
I probably measured wrong when I initially located the bed.
I appreciate your opinion, though.

Mark

[mgeez]

Originally Posted by alaska gasser

Another easy fix I used on my truck was new spring saddles. I picked up a set on EBAY for about $35 that were drilled with an 1 1/2 inch offset.

If I did this, would I have to deal with Driveshaft lengthening?
Mark

[mgeez]

Originally Posted by 54worker

Could you maybe move the bed forward. By the pics, there may be some room or you may have to shorten it some more. Just a thought.
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That was my initial thought. A huge amount of time would be involved, maybe 2 weeks for me. The rear fender move can be done fairly easily.

Mark

[mgeez]

Originally Posted by Dodger

Don't know if it would help but what size wheels are you running?

Here's a pic of my stock suspension 3600 and I think yours looks a little further forward maybe. I run 15s. It maybe possible the a rim size change may alter the look a little. Wouldn't solve it totally but there are a few good options already suggested.

The angle of the my pic probably makes the rear wheel appear a little further forward than it looks when you are square on.

Look at the center stake pocket on your truck. I believe your rear fender touches the center stake pocket flange edge. I am talking about the flange that has the spot welds.
My truck, the rear fender touches the front of the rear most stake pocket flange edge. This appears to be the 1 1/2" I am off.
I guess I measured something wrong this past spring when I started this swap.
I used the original fender mtg holes on the bed side panels. I removed approx 12" from the front and rear of the bed sides. Apparently this is where I was off 1 1/2 inches. I do know my bed is not 100% correct length for a 3600.
My first build! I know better the next time!
I appreciate you comments and pic. Thanks!
Mark

[gale]

The 3100 AD trucks did not have the rear axle centered in the fender well either.

[ghettoluxury]

These trucks did not come from the factory with the wheels centered in the wheel wells.

[mgeez]

I was at the Hershey Swap meet this past weekend and to me, it looked like the 1/2 tons rear wheels were fairly centered in the wheel well. The 3/4 tons all favored the rear wheels to the front of whatever one could call the centerline. I finally moved my rear fenders 1 -1/2" forward just for a better look.

[gale]

Originally Posted by mgeez

I was at the Hershey Swap meet this past weekend and to me, it looked like the 1/2 tons rear wheels were fairly centered in the wheel well. The 3/4 tons all favored the rear wheels to the front of whatever one could call the centerline. I finally moved my rear fenders 1 -1/2" forward just for a better look.

I've had several 1/2 ton trucks (3100) and none were centered unless a PO moved them. I moved the rear axle about 2 inches.

[1958Warrior]

Looks to be perfectly centered there, and at the right price too