Need HELP-Did the bodyshop mess up!!!

[prayers1 153]

I'll get right into it......

Both full ¼ panels, wheel wells, tail panel and the rear section of both frame rails & shackles have been replaced. All sheet metal is Dynacorn product.

We loaded the suspension on jack stands and installed the rear tires, 295/50/15.

We discovered that the left tire stuck out ¾’s of an inch and the right tire was in the lip ¼ of an inch.

 

We then measured from the wheel well to the outer lip on each side and found both to be 14â€.

The rear section had cross braces welded in before the sheet metal was taken off. In addition, it was put back following the factory measurements.

 

The rear appears to be centered on its perch & leaf springs, looking at the rear from the back, it looks more to the left. One side is supposed to be longer anyway.

 

I am very disappointed, I have been waiting over a year to this point.

 

Don’t know where to go from here.

Open to Suggestions.

Thanks

 

 

 

[prayers1 153]

Hope this is larger

 

 

[69mi 10]

Put the car on the ground and see where it's at..the jacks may be at different heights

Making one side of the axel higher than the other

[miketyler 15]

So it appears rear end is 1/2" too far to the left side? I had similar issue on mine and seem to recall correcting about 1/4 out of it by loosening ubolts and lowering blocks and pulling rear end to one side and then tightening back down. With no blocks I'm not sure you would have that much play.

[prayers1 153]

We will try the above. Not sure if the rear will move if the axle perch hole is in the leafspring pin. I don't know anything about lowering blocks. It seems that if I do get them, would I have a chance of relocating the rear???

 

As you can see, if I lower the body w/ lowering blocks the tires might be rubbing into the fender lip. So, what size of a lower block to use? I'm in the process of getting the Eastwood roller to roll the rear lip, but the Bodyshop is not happy with that.

 

Can someone give a brief explanation about the lowering blocks.

 

There is already tension on the rear, so putting it on the ground isn't going to move the rear side to side. In the end, I might have to get the axle perches relocated.

 

All comments wecomed, Thank You!

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Measure for squareness, Looking at your pic of the rear I see the spring end more on the pass side than the drivers.

Take a string line from the front sub frame to the rearmost point on the spring on the diag and check the other side.

If the rear frame is out it will not be the same.

[69gmachine 15]

Well, you could take it back to the body shop and try to get them to correct it, but you would need to convince them they made a mistake, which may be difficult. Correcting one or both frame rails would mean considerable re-work for them, so you would need to be either extremely diplomatic or be ready for a fight.

 

Did you verify that the problem did not exist before they replaced the frame rails? They will probably claim they put them right back where they were, which may in fact be true. The tolerances these old cars were built to were horrible by modern standards and could easily stack up.

 

The offset of my axles in the housing from left to right is a 1/4". If the frame rails were also off by another 1/4" in the same direction, I would have the same problem you have.

 

Another option would be to have a custom rear-end made with a 1/2" offset. I know that sounds extreme, but it's probably cheaper than moving one or both frame rails over a 1/2 inch.

 

Good luck on however you proceed.

[RPM 1,190]

If both wheel wells messure 14", and if the door gaps at 1/4 panels are good, I don't see how the problem is in the body work. As mentioned, check for proper location of axle. With the car level, you can plumb bob body and suspension locations to check.

 

Bob

[RPM 1,190]

If both wheel wells messure 14", and if the door gaps at 1/4 panels are good, I don't see how the problem is in the body work. As mentioned, check for proper location of axle. With the car level, you can plumb bob body and suspension locations to check.

 

Bob9

[70mstang 11]

You don't want to put lowering blocks on the car with the wheel sticking out like that. Lowering blocks get put under the leaf springs to lower how the car sits in relation to the axle.

 

If the wheel is sticking out and you put lowering blocks on you could damage the wheel well.

 

Double check that the leaf springs are truly centered: The locating hole in the shock mounting plate has the leaf spring nob thing in the hole. Not the best description but can't think of the proper terminology :)

[prayers1 153]

Interesting point, Measure for squareness. Are you suggesting diagonal, such as measureing for squareness on a framed deck? It might not work depending on the hanging obstacles such as driveshaft, exhaust and the arch of the leafsprings.

 

Instead of getting another carrier, couldn't I just relocate the spring perches.

 

 

Door gaps are all good. Any other thoughts?

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Thats why I suggested string over a measuring tape.

Yes on a diag from front to rear as in the front frame rail end to the rear spring eyes.

This will give you some info on what your dealing with. Post findings please.

[prayers1 153]

Thanks for clearing that up! It might take a few days before I get there.

[Mike65 476]

Another possible option is to have it put on a frame machine, they could measure it & see if the frame is out of square to one side or not.

[69gmachine 15]

Instead of getting another carrier, couldn't I just relocate the spring perches.

 

Any other thoughts?

 

You could just drill new offset holes in the bottom of the spring perches.

[69convertible 10]

WELL this my seam basic but check your wheel offsets , swap wheels over left to right to see if the problem stays on the same side ? just a though .:cool::cool::cool:

[ramair351 10]

regardless, that mustang looks bad ass sitting there, nice body

[Fordrevhead 29]

I had a car where some yoyo welded in a different rear dif. It was off exactly an inch. I got bigger backspaced wheels and ran a spacer on the shallow side. Worked fine until the pinion snapped off because the angle was also set wrong. Kept the engine and trans and sold the rest.

Edited March 14, 2013 by Fordrevhead

[miketyler 15]

You could just drill new offset holes in the bottom of the spring perches.

 

Thats what I was thinking. I had to remove and relocate the spring perches on the Cuda when I installed the spring relocation kit. Just need to make sure you move them directly lateral so you preserve pinion angle. Drilling offset holes would provide same effect with less effort.

Edited March 13, 2013 by miketyler

[miketyler 15]

You don't want to put lowering blocks on the car with the wheel sticking out like that. Lowering blocks get put under the leaf springs to lower how the car sits in relation to the axle.

 

You do seem to be tracking wider than me and I am running 315's and they barely tuck in. What back space are you running on your wheels? Are those the ones you plan to run for final? If not, you probably have some backspace to play with as well.

[prayers1 153]

Installing a spacer is a good ideal, but I want the Drivers side brought in, instead of making the Pass. side 1/4" wider.

 

Mike, they are Weld Prostars 15x10, I believe the bs is 5". I'll be running the Prostars for a while until funds allow 17" w/ the same width tires.

 

Also, I'd like to drop the rear a couple of inches, reason for rolling the fenders.

[prayers1 153]

Mike, is it possible to get a picture of what the lowering blocks look like installed.

 

Here's a couple of pictures showing a side view, you can see that the drivers side sticks out much farther.

 

 

[coz 108]

IMO - do the easy things 1st. Confirm your backspacing and swap the back tires and see if the problem follows the wheel or not.

[prayers1 153]

That does make sense, There's a few things I need to check, but I won't be at the shop for a few days.

[miketyler 15]

Here it is. 2" blocks with 2" de-arched springs. I notice you bought repop hood. Which brand? Assume body shop fit that for you as well? Did they comment on how much work it was to get it dialed in?