Rear wheels alignment

[paulizor]

I'm replacing the rear spring shackles and once the spring disconnected, the whole rear end assembly shifted sideways. The only attachment is the rear radius rods at the torque tube. Nothing, including the frame, seems obviously bent, damaged or worn. The radius arms are original, unrepaired and in good condition. My concern is if I simply reattach the spring, won't the rear end shift sideways on the shackles? I don't know of any way to reset this alignment to correctly track the front and rear wheels.

 

[Mike V. Florida]

I don't see how it can shift if nothing is bent. The bolt for the springs center the spring in the frame and the rods ensure that the distance from the line of the frame is the same.

 

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

There has to be something bent,or when the rear spring is disconnected, it would just drop straight down. So are you saying that when you push it back to center it wants to pop sideways again?

 

[Tom Wesenberg]

If your speedometer cable and brake rods are disconnected, then the only thing holding the rear end is the U-joint cup, which will allow the rear end to flop any direction. If you had the rear end setting on top of a floor jack pad, then it was top heavy and will flop to one side.

 

[Patrick L.]

By chance did you not use a spreader and have just one side disconnected ?

 

[paulizor]

Wow! Do I feel dumb. Thanks for pointing me to the obvious. I assumed that since the brakes had been meticulously adjusted to the Crosby method that all was equal. When I disconnected the parking brake rods, PROBLEM SOLVED. Ya know what they say about when you ***-u-me.