Rear tires not aligned evenly on both sides inside rear fender wells. P***enger side rear tire is approximately 1/2” from fender edge. Driver side tire is approximately 1” from fender edge. Do I just loosen the four nuts on the spring where it hooks to the cross member and try to move rear end/spring lateral to get spacing equal on rear tires from distance to rear fender edge. Thank You
Check the rear end to the frame. The problem may be the bodywork, or fender and not the rear end out of position.
The rear axle is not centered as can be seen, it is off centered. All I want to know is if I loosen the four nuts on the two inverted C clamps that hold the rear spring in place on the crossmember that is all that’s needed to move the rear axle/spring ***embly to the left 1/4” Both rear fenders seem to be the same width, one is not further out by the tires than the other. I’m eliminating the fenders as the issue.
There is a hole in the center of the crossmember and the center bolt of the spring pack has a raised end on the top that centers the spring pack in the crossmember. So if it is in place correctly, no you can't just move it 1/4" left or right.
Are the shackles angled the same? Does the car have a pannard bar That keeps the rear end centered left to right?
yup, there is a hole on top of the crossmember for the center bolt. feel up there with your fingers and see if the center bolt is in the hole. It is a square hole and it is possible that it is not in the hole properly
The first thing I notice in post 3 is the body leans to the right, which is not uncommon with a "buggy spring suspension. This could indicate a broken leaf in the spring pack. I see the original greaseable nut on the spring center bolt; I ***ume you may have an original wrapped spring. I would take a mirror and flash light and check the head and square opening on the top of the rear cross member. There could be cracks at the corner of the square hole that locates the spring center bolt. It could also be the way the fenders fit the body.
Just a thought, if the distance from the inner wheel well to the fender is close to the same, try to measure from a like location, check for signs of damage or body work. Check your wheel width, make sure the brake drums are the same. If nothing jumps out as different, easy fix is a 1/2 inch wheel spacer. If you loosen the four spring hanger bolts and shove the rear end a half inch, the spring bolt will be out of it intended location and gives you more problems. I’m on my 4th and 5th forties and both look good painted, stripped the rear fenders on my pu and the hidden damage on them was un beleavable. I’m betting your distance difference is just the age and condition of your 40.
Shackles for the most part angle is the same, no pannard bar/stabilizer bar, I’ll have to check it more closely. My 39 Ford is the same, though not as much space difference Thank You for the insight…
Measure from the center of the front spring eye mounting bolt straight back to front of axle tube on the driver side, now measure the the same on the p***enger side. Now if both measurements are the same from the front spring eye bushing bolt to the axle tube then either the body is not on frame square or frame is diamond. If the measurements are NOT the same then you need to drop the u-bolts and axle plates and see if you have a broken spring center bolt and allowing the axle to move on the spring. Another one I've come across was 2 different springs on 1 car with the center bolt centered on one side and the other side was offset in the spring. So if the spring center bolt is good, again measure from front spring eye bolt center back to spring center bolt and see if both springs are the same. This is my standard procedure when I get a car at work with tracking problems... ...
Checking further it looks like Yes I did check the square hole on the crossmember and the spring center bolt is snugly in the square. I did check further and found the p***enger side rear brake drum not completely even around the hub. Looks like at the 6 o’clock position the drum is further away from the support plate than from the 12 o’clock position ( can even see a little of the brake pads at 6 o’clock position ) pushing the lower section of the tire out, reason for the tire being closer to the fender opening edge? Thinking warped rear brake drum or something to that affect.
Yes I checked the center bolt, it’s spot on, looks like the drum or wheel bearing or hub issue as the drum is further away from the support plate at the 6 o’clock position vs the 12 o’clock position. I can actually see a bit of the brake pad at the 6 o’clock position.
Oh my for sure ! So you are saying the drum runs out of true? like a wobble? Must be a bent and or about to break axle. Prolly has ruined the bearing surface on the axle housing too. I would pull that hub before driving anymore and find out the issue.
Jack that wheel off the ground, pop the hubcap and slowly spin/rotate the tire and see if the end of the axle shaft wobbles. No Axle wobble you have a bent hub which I'd have to believe is pretty rare without axle damage.
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