Rear wheels not centered in fender opening

[66farmer]

Originally Posted by old cruiser

Reposition guards would be the simple answer if you don't want to move the whole bed back. Just a thought

What guard are you referring to

[66farmer]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

Moving drivetrain components sounds like a bunch of work to an already superb chassis. Maybe pick up a couple of fenders and experiment with moving the wheel openings. I've seen it done on front fenders, I would think it could be done on rear step fenders.

I know this is a lot to do for 2" and maybe the fender would be easier but if I do a fender rework I would have to repaint. I will do anything to stay away from painting.

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by 66farmer

The panhard bar and the upper shock mounts will have to be moved. And the drive line will have to be shortened. The brake line should be easy move.

I was going to remove the bed anyway this winter to do a C notch. I want to lower the rear just a little more.
I guess I just can't stop working on this truck. (I think I need to see a doctor)

You said, "I guess I just can't stop working on this truck. (I think I need to see a doctor)". Well, I think most of us will agree that these trucks are ALWAYS a work in progress; and whenever a 'new' idea pops into mind, our trucks are the ready outlet for the inspiration!
Sam

[old cruiser]

Originally Posted by 66farmer

What guard are you referring to

I mean the fenders , sorry in Oz we call them guards.

[66farmer]

Just for kicks I measured the wheel base it's 114 5/8". I tried to talk to Porterbuild but I can't get them to call me back. EC told me that they only can shorten the trailing arms by 1" .I need more.
After looking at a old trailing arm I think I could take 2 to 2.5" out between the axle and spring.
Has anyone done this?

[jhrusk]

I dont think there would be an issue to shorten it like that, It boils down to someone who can properly modify it and then you have the liability issue.

[padresag]

the mystery deepens and I hope that I am looking at this rationally. there is a problem somewhere and it does not seem to be the trailing arms but yet it could be a part of it. was this truck once upon a time a 127" w/base truck? you have just measured your w/base and you claim 114 3/4"( I am not mocking you, but just putting the facts down) which is 1/4" shorter than what the called w/base should be yet the axle is set back what where it should be sitting. there has to be a reason for that variance somewhere else. thee are 2 options here to check. 1 recheck your measured w/base or 2 there has been a modification somewhere else that is causing this.
sometimes we look and look at things and can't see them for looking at them and it is staing one right in the face all of the time. can be frustrating. truck frames do not stretch or contract on their own.
in woodworking there is or should say was an English woodworker by the name of David Pye who wrote a book called, "The Nature and Art Of Workmanship", and one of the main points that he discusses, " the workmanship of risk and the workmanship of certainty" the workmanship of risk is the person who is doing one off type of thing; the other workmanship of certainty belongs to the frame in your truck or any part really thereof. they all come out of the same stamp that makes all the frames for that model of truck.
looking at your last picture it does look like the axle is sitting back from where is should by looking at the rise in the frame. it may be possible that it is in the right place according to your w/base measurements?? that would mean then that perhaps the box has been altered.
definitely the relationship of the axle to the fender opening has been altered and it will just take careful measuring of everything involved to see what is out of whack. everybody can guess at what the problem is, but guessing from far afield usually doesn't solve to many things
sorry for the rambling but those can be the variables
ron

[66farmer]

I see 3 different thinks that caused this problem.

1. I moved the bed forward. To close the gap between bed to cab.
2. I lowered the rear of the truck 6". Which push the axle to the rear.
3. I used EC cross member which maybe is not located in the stock position

As for the wheel base 114 5/8" I'm close. I didn't think I would be 115" because the front end is out of a 1978. And I did lower it 6"

[66farmer]

Originally Posted by jhrusk

I dont think there would be an issue to shorten it like that, It boils down to someone who can properly modify it and then you have the liability issue.

Shortening the arm's I would do myself

[LVPhotos]

I did not see my axle go rearward in the wheelhouses but forward with bags. I went with 1/2" longer arms from PorterBuilt. I would look at box length.

[padresag]

your rear axle won't go much further back by lowering it 6".. look at the the centre of the front pivot pin and the centre of the axle. at stock level they are more than likely at 180 degrees(straight line) . say you have a big compass(I do which I can get a radius of 42". using the centre of that front pin and make a circle on which the centre of the axle will be situated on the diameter. if you lower the frame 6" the arc of the circl should show you the axle actually moving forward at stock height it should be close to being as far back as it will go. in my simple math that is how it appears.. when you loer the car that front pin just goes straight down and the back end of the trailing arm may raise and appear that it is longer, but we are not measuring the trailing arm but the centre of the axle and it is just traveling in an arc.
ron

[65Gregg]

How do your axle tubes line up with the factory bump stops? That might provide a good reference point. I can't tell from the photo from above but it looks like the rearend is further back but it may just be the angle of the pic.

[66farmer]

By using a spare trailing arm I did some measuring. By lowering the rear of the truck 6" which pushed the axle back 1 3/8". I moved the bed forward by approx.
3\4" so I'm going to shorten the arms 2" between the axle and the spring.

[Slow Build]

I really think it would be less of a PITA (and safer) to move the crossmember forward. You are going to have deal with resizing the driveshaft either way and the only other thing you may have to move is the spring perches (which I can't figure out why they would be correct now with the wheels so far back). Another thing that I have heard of is switching and flipping the trailing arm brackets on the crossmember which would do more for pinion angle than moving the rear-end back and it might also get in the way of your exhaust.

[66farmer]

[QUOTE=Slow Build;6386403]I really think it would be less of a PITA (and safer) to move the crossmember forward. You are going to have deal with resizing the driveshaft either way and the only other thing you may have to move is the spring perches (which I can't figure out why they would be correct now with the wheels so far back). Another thing that I have heard of is switching and flipping the trailing arm brackets on the crossmember which would do more for pinion angle than moving the rear-end back and it might also get in the way of your exhaust.

You have a good point. My only reservation is I'm not sure if I can drill new holes in the upper frame flange with the cab in place and the exhaust goes through the cross member. Next week I'm going to remove the bed and I should get a better look at the problem.

Thanks