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

Topic: Shouldn't my rear-end be centered, before OR after a wheel brakes off? (Read 3734 times) previous topic - next topic

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

Reply #15 – January 01, 2008, 02:37:08 PM

Quote from: SLEEPER T-BIRD 87;195321

All RWD cars have the rear installed offset it helps with the car tracking itself.

Why is that?

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

Reply #16 – January 01, 2008, 03:40:06 PM

hahaha, well... if I knew there were lug nuts missing I would have NEVER driven the car!!

As far as the offset/tracking deal... it kinda makes sense. I mean, I don't quite understand how having the rear centered would make the tracking worse but whatever...

I was also looking around on stangnet and found various guys talking about this. Some with classics and a few foxes, with differenent degrees of offset - from none and all the way up to 3/4" off on one side (which is what I appear to be close to). Weird part was some had the offset to the right and some to the left. There was also a discussion about large tolerancances in manufacturing causing the differences and that a frame straightening machine could correct the problem somewhat by bring the frame even closer to 'spec' than the factory did....?

Either way, it drives me NUTS! I think it looks absoutely horrible...

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

Reply #17 – January 01, 2008, 04:21:01 PM

Quote from: JeremyB;195331

Why is that?

guess i used the wrong words lets see if this explains what i was getting at a hair better.

Well pinion shaft is offset to the ring gear, and the pinion is aligned with the driveshaft(phasing). To have the same length axle shafts (saves money to have one part) requires that the housing be offset by a small amount (Think pinion offset). This means your housing is offset to the chassis.Most won't notice it till you fill the wheelwell with tires.

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

Reply #18 – January 01, 2008, 05:25:15 PM

I have a Mark vii also a fox body and noticed the same problem toward the drivers side after I got hit in the pass. rear quarter panel.
I am still driving the car with no ill effects, not sure if it was like this before the hit or not, never noticed.

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

Reply #19 – January 01, 2008, 05:30:34 PM

I get it. So, technically, the ring gear is what is offset...? And, because both axels are the same length, the offset is handed off until it reaches the wheels/tires?

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

Reply #20 – January 01, 2008, 05:32:01 PM

Quote from: booksix;195351

I get it. So, technically, the ring gear is what is offset...? And, because both axels are the same length, the offset is handed off until it reaches the wheels/tires?

basicly

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

Reply #21 – January 01, 2008, 08:47:35 PM

General Motors had the tailshaft of the transmission higher than the pinion. Chrysler typically offsets the entire engine and transmission. Ford either makes an unequal axle or shifts it. If this was not the case the needle bearings would not move in the u joints and wear out prematurely.

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

Reply #22 – January 01, 2008, 08:49:41 PM

But the offset in the rear-end should have nothing to do with the needle bearings because we already have few degree pinion angle for that purpose (right?).

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

Reply #23 – January 01, 2008, 08:54:23 PM

Its been a while since I've been under a Fox so I'm not sure.

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

Reply #24 – January 02, 2008, 12:07:40 AM

It's a Ford, so fvck-all is gonna be offset, misaligned, bent, whatever. LOL.

Seriously...I wouldn't worry about it...nearly every rear drive vehicle has to allow for this in some way.

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

Reply #25 – January 10, 2008, 10:38:18 PM

Ok, I'm not so sure anymore. Anyone else following this thread:

http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=15098&page=7

Thundr306 has some pics of his 10.5's (also pics of drivers side on page 12) and the centering looks pretty dead on... anyone have any explaination for this?

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

Reply #26 – January 10, 2008, 10:43:10 PM

Mine are centered.

I was a dumbass a while back and didn't tighten down the lugs on my rear wheels all the way. I got on the interstate and about 5 miles down the road I noticed the car felt "funny". I took the next exit and stopped at a gas station. The passenger side wheel was ready to come off. Ho-boy!

[edit]
Actually, the last time I worked on the car was several weekends before that incident. I had driven hundreds of miles before it got loose. WTF!
I still used my ninja-like skills to ascertain the rear wheel was wobbly. I'M AWESOME!

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

Reply #27 – January 10, 2008, 10:45:22 PM

get under the car. find a center point. measure from the mounts and see if there is a difference.

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

Reply #28 – January 10, 2008, 11:59:36 PM

Hahaha, classic! To bad I'm not a ninja, maybe my wheel wouldn't be lost in a revine somewhere or on it's way to the swap meet in Mexico!

Anyway, I'm gonna get the rear up tomorrow. My rotor is pretty chewed up, but now that the car's weight is back on a wheel/tire my brakes are good and the car actually drives fine (got up to 55-60 and heard nothing abnormal - above the volume of the exhaust anyway). Gonna try to not replace the rotor just yet; I may be switching to 94-98 rear setup instead of the Mark VII. I figure, now that I'm in the process of buying a new wheel and all the new tires I needed anyway, I may go wider out back... we'll see. Anyway, as I was trying to say, I'm gonna measure tomorrow... Thanks everyone.

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

Reply #29 – January 11, 2008, 03:16:27 PM

Ok, I need help guys. Does anyone know a good way to measure this? I tried using the holes on either side of the subframe (just in front of the gas tank). They measured 33" apart. I then measured 16.5" in from these holes each side and marked that on the rear-end cover; this gave me the vehicle center. Then, I measured in from each axle to the mark on the rearend to see if there was an offset, but I'm only getting about an 1/8", when according to my tires and the wheel lips it's about 1/2". Does anyone have a more accurate way of measuring?

PS: Could having a weak spring have anything to do with the offset? I have the same ride height on each side if the car but I know for a fact that one spring is weak because my ride height adjusters are about 3-4" higher on one side (I know, they need to be replaced anyway, just haven't gotten there - and don't know what springs to use)...