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Topic: Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off? (Read 3735 times) previous topic - next topic

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Yeah, so I had a pretty rough day last week...

Someone tried to steal my Cobra R's the other day (the first time I left the car outside in a long time) and they got stuck at the locking lug nuts.  So, needless to say, I didn't last very long at 75 in the San Diego AM traffic.  My left rear broke off and I was left with about 30% brakes riding on a rotor to get across 4 lanes of traffic to "safety."

When the rollback got my car back home, we put my full size spare on (the other 4 lugs on the axel were intact and we borrowed a couple lug nuts from other wheels that were so kindly retightened to hand tight).  For some reason, the identically sized spare is a little wider than my Nitto drags but none-the-less my rear-end now seems quite crooked!  The pics don't tell the same story as being in person, but what do you all think?

edit:  Also, this is the stock rear-end and control arms with Mark VII axels and brakes
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #1 –
Might of bent a control arm some?Lets see some side pics.
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #2 –
Yeah, I was thinking that too but it's so hard to tell just visually. 

What kind of side pics?  Straight on looking at the wheel?
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #3 –
You need a tape messure,Something moved!
Old Grey Cat to this.88 Cat, 5.0 HO, CW mounts, mass air, CI custom cam, afr165's, Tmoss worked cobra intake, BBK shorty's,off road h pipe, magnaflow ex. T-5,spec stage 2 clutch, 8.8 373 TC trac loc, che ajustables with bullits on the rear. 11" brakes up front. +

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #4 –
I was going to do that first, but where do I measure that will be easy and accurate?
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #5 –
You didnt notice the wheel was loose just driving around? :P
93 Festiva L, 193k miles, BP+T/G25MR swap, T3 50trim .48/.42, SRT FMIC, Capri electronics/Rocketchip, 2.5" exhaust
bests: ET 12.86, MPH 110.25, 1.92 short
02 Subaru Impreza WRX, 129k miles
97 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport, 236k miles

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #6 –
I would have, but I wasn't just driving around.  I immediately get on the highway to go to work the next day.  I got about three miles and all of a sudden a deep, rumbling vibration started and before I could even think what it was and react (probably about 2-3 seconds or less) the wheel was gone...  I've actually known a couple people this happened to that made it even further with no signs of a problem before they lost a wheel.
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #7 –
I'm pretty sure all of my birds were like that.  The rear did seem a little off to the driver side.  But then again, I've lost a wheel too and maybe I bent something.
84 TC 302 -5.0L/t5/7.5 locking rear and a 3.45 gear, Edelbrock Intake, Aluminum Heads, Edlebrock 65mm Throttlebody, Edlebrock Cam, 24lb injectors & MAS Air Sensor calibrated via chip,  BBK headers, Catback H pipe, Magnaflow lers :evilgrin:
:pics-stfu:

 Project Thread with pics

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #8 –
Hahahaa, now that's funny.

But anyway, I also noticed this a bit before this whole wheel thing happened.  But now I'm looking much closer (perhaps worrying about little things more than ever) and I have to have an insurance guy come out to look at it before I can decide if I want to file a claim.  I just want to know whats all there before hand. Can anyone else chime in on whether or not this in normal?  Seems strange to me.
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #9 –
dont feel bad mine looks the same the car has never been in a wreck and has all new control arms I just kind of deal with mine lol
1986 T-bird
347 stroker motor
185 AFR Heads
TrickFlow cam 224/232-542/563
Victor Jr. intake CNC ported
Quickfuel Holley 800 cfm
Hooker 1-3/4 long tubes
Custom built AOD
B&M 3000 stall
8.8 w/4.30 gears
UPR K-member,A-Arms,and coil-overs
UPR upper/lower control arms
Strange shocks/struts
26x10x15 M/T slicks
11.48@119.27
(coming soon Tremec 3550)
The Finished Product
http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/03grinnie/T-bird/

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #10 –
So this is a fox thing?  I can't imagine why...  This will now drive me nuts for the rest of my life!
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #11 –
I will take pics of mine so we can be sad together lol
1986 T-bird
347 stroker motor
185 AFR Heads
TrickFlow cam 224/232-542/563
Victor Jr. intake CNC ported
Quickfuel Holley 800 cfm
Hooker 1-3/4 long tubes
Custom built AOD
B&M 3000 stall
8.8 w/4.30 gears
UPR K-member,A-Arms,and coil-overs
UPR upper/lower control arms
Strange shocks/struts
26x10x15 M/T slicks
11.48@119.27
(coming soon Tremec 3550)
The Finished Product
http://s174.photobucket.com/albums/w92/03grinnie/T-bird/

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #12 –
LOL, ok...  sounds like a plan.  And since it's New Years Eve we can drink our rear-end woes away and just appear to be celebrating!  :banana:
1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe
'89 5.0 w/ ported intakes, Mallory Adjustable FPR, BBK shorties and H with 2.5" Flows, 130 amp 3G, 89 Mustang comp/wiring, Aluminum radiator w/ elec fan, T5 trans, King Cobra clutch, 3.55 gears, 13" Cobra brakes (front), Wilwood prop valve, Mustang A-arms, Front Coil-overs, MM CC plates, Silver 17x9 R's, 03 Cobra IRS, Aluminum DS, 2002 Mustang dash/console etc..., custom leather seats

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #13 –
Did you know you were missing lug nuts before you drove the car??
Matt :tg:

Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off?

Reply #14 –
All RWD cars have the rear installed offset it helps with the driveshaft phasing/aligment and plays a small role in the cars tracking.

try shoving some 28-10.5W's under one.
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1974 maverick lsx powered turbo car SOLD
1973 maverick Tijuana Taxi Tribute
1957 chevy LSX Turbo project (race car)
Owner of Joe Dirt Fabrication