Rear end not perfectly centered on car???

[325DR]

I put my slicks on my car this past weekend to find that the passenger side wheel is flush with the quarter panel, but the drivers side wheel is tucked under the quarter panel about 1.5"?????

What can I do to fix this? Anyone else have this problem? What could it be?

 

[tc86gn]

Is it Possible that the body has moved on the frame?

 

[1970gsx]

I followed my buddy home in '87 from picking up his brand new GN, and it had a slight dog walk in the rear. So yours may also have come from the factory like that.

 

[325DR]

Originally posted by tc86gn
Is it Possible that the body has moved on the frame?

Yes, I know that just about all the body bushings are SHOT.

 

[cutt]

rear-end

my car is like that to 86gn,most of the g-body cars i see are like that but you can't tell until you put big tires on.

 

[WH1 85]

Almost all G-Bodies are like that. My buddy has an 84 cutlass, my brother has a 82 regal and an 85 monty and I have an 85 t-type. Not one of our cars sit on the frame perfectly str8.

I can especially tell on mine by the way the exhaust tips are in slightly different locations on both sides. But on the bright side it doesn't seem to affect the car's at all. And as long as you do not point it out, no one else will ever notice

 

[azgn]

well, replace all the body bushings (upper and lower) and while you got is loose, recenter it....lots of fun (or, recognize the problem and buy tires accordingly, which is what most of us do....)

mine is off 1/2" or so

 

[zam70]

I centered mine when I did the body bushings...

Mass production just doesn't allow for the little details.

 

[J Banning]

My car is like that, but just not as bad. My driver's side rear wheel sits about 1/2" further in the wheel well than the passenger side does. It goes straight down the road and I've replaced the lower body bushings... no changes.

-Banning.

 

[ThikStik]

This is the reason the more expensive "thrust angle alignment" is best when getting the ft end aligned. It nullifies the problem from a tracking standpoint. Now if I could just get my GTO convertible to track as well as my more worn TR.

 

[Bama87GN]

I believe all GM products are like that. At least the G-bodys and the F-bodys. I think the reason is the alignment of the engine to the transmission to the rear axle. The driver side of the engine is moved over about a 1/2 inch to clear the steering box, located inside of the frame. Just my theory.

Bass

 

[TRDirks]

Yep Mine is crooked too. My exhaust tips are a little uneven and one of the local club members (fashion police) pointed it out to as if I had never noticed My response was "Yes, I am aware of that, however, you won't be noticeing it from 10 car lengths back"

 

[325DR]

Originally posted by azgn
well, replace all the body bushings (upper and lower) and while you got is loose, recenter it....lots of fun (or, recognize the problem and buy tires accordingly, which is what most of us do....)

mine is off 1/2" or so

azgn,
How do you re-center the body when you do the body bushings? Is it a PITA?

 

[azgn]

well, it IS a PITA, but mostly because you have to get the body loose from the frame and some of those bushings are hard to get to and often won't come out without some serious work with a BFH...once you get everything disconnected (including front & rear bumbers) it should be easy to line things up

unless you are going to do all the bushings anyway, I wouldn't bother....just plan on the difference when choosing wheel backspace and tires....although mine is about 1/2" off, I run 8" Centerlines with 4" backspace and can fit all the tire I want (28X9 ET Drags and 275X60 Drag Radials)

good luck

 

[Night Train]

You should also check the backspacing on your rear rims. My son ordered two rims with 3.5" back spacing from Summit years ago for his slicks. Several months after he had them mounted, I was standing behind the car an noticed that one stuck out further than the other. Turns out that Summit had shipped two different backspaced wheels (off by 1/2").

 

[325DR]

If I put new control arms on the car, will it maybe center it better?

 

[andy111]

I don't think the rearend can be moved over.Mostlikly the rear end is centerd between the frame it's just the body is sitting over to much one way.I have two GN's with the stock wheels and same BFG drag radials on both .One car sits perfect the other one is not centerd.I tried to move the body over big pain in the A$$.Im still trying to figure out what im going to do....

 

[turboman38]

It's normal. My car and many of my TR buddies cars are the same way.

 

[325DR]

Originally posted by andy111
I don't think the rearend can be moved over.Mostlikly the rear end is centerd between the frame it's just the body is sitting over to much one way.I have two GN's with the stock wheels and same BFG drag radials on both .One car sits perfect the other one is not centerd.I tried to move the body over big pain in the A$$.Im still trying to figure out what im going to do....

andy111,
I am in the same boat as you. PLLEEAASSSEEE get back to me (or post here) about what you did to fix it, if you get it fixed.


What else can I do besides move the body on the frame? Should I get one wheel with 3.5" bs and one with 4"?

 

[andy111]

Yeah thats what someone else said to do get differant offset wheels.The way i plan on doing it is getting a 9 inch rear end made for the car and just make the one side a little longer.I know it is a expesive fix but i was going to do the rear end anyway.....