crooked pickup- need help

31Abone

31Abone

Well-known member
Putting together late 30 narrow bed pickup ..everything has been replaced on chassis bushings,pins etc...but it leans to port about 3/4" in the back measuring from the spring perch to frame...how to level the chassis ? the back is worse than the front ..any suggestions ?
 
If it's leaning to port side you must be taking on water.:eek:
Time to turn on the bilge pumps before it capsizes.:D

I would try loosening the 2 nuts on the left side, maybe a turn, then tighten the right ones a turn and check it. That did the trick on my 29 Tudor.:)
 
I had the same problem on my 28 coupe - about 3/4" list to the drivers side (left side) measured for the bottom lip of the rear left and right fenders. The front is level and has a new front spring. I reversed the rear spring and it didn't make any difference. I sure though reversing the spring would change the lean for the better, but it didn't. I tried what Tom said and it only helped a little bit. I put a .065" shim on the top of the drivers side spring where the U clamp is located. It pretty much leveled the car. This probably isn't the best solution, but shimming the spring on the drivers side or shaving off a leaf on the passenger side is the only thing I can think of to level the back end. Any other suggestions would be appreciated for 31Abone and me.
Rusty Nelson
 
if the body is not on the car, and the car is not on the ground, then do nothing yet. Wait for the suspension to be fully weight-bearing. If you still have a lean to the left, then loosen the rear spring nuts a little on the left side and tighten them a little on the right

oops Tom beat me to it.....
 
Sometimes it's just the way the frame is sitting on the spring. Loosen the u-bolt nuts and shake the body or frame side to side to change the position of the frame on the spring. A little movement can make a big difference. If everything looks good tighten up the nuts. A bit of adjustment like this will usually straighten things up.

The Old Tinbasher
 
I am re-stating the obvious, but here are some things to try: Make sure the floor the car is sitting on is very level. Make sure your tire pressures are all the same. Check to see which spring is the culprit by jacking up the rear from the center of the differential; if it leans, the problem is the front spring. Check the rear spring by jacking up from the exact center of the front axle. A large percentage of front and rear crossmembers have been cracked and broken and poorly (if) repaired, which could make it difficult, at best, to get the car to stay level and drive safely. Measuring, as you did, from the axle to the frame, is the best place to get a reliable measurement. No offence, Rusty, but the rear edges of the rear fenders are seldom the same distance from the floor on a straight and level car. Did you check all frame measurements before installing the body?
 
Jim,
I think measuring from the serrated edge of the rear fenders is a good way to see how much lean there is on a car. It might not be perfect, but what better way is there? The axle to the frame is a pretty narrow dimension and a little hard to do with the tapered axle housings. The bumpers can be off due to the brackets not quite equal. I could see, just by looking at the car, it leaned left enough to make it look crooked and not right. My car is on a level concrete floor and the tires are inflated evenly.
Rusty Nelson
 
If you had the springs apart you may just need to have them settle again. My grandfathers' coupe always leans towards the passengers side so he just tells everyone at shows the previous owner had a not so little, little lady.
 
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