Crooked rearend?

[VegasCJ7]

Ok I just bought a 87 CJ7 for mainly trailers and dunes. It looked very very clean with nice upgrades.

1992 Chevy V-6 High output CPI 4.3 C.I. engine– Central Port Injection with internal balance shaft. Painless engine wiring kit. Electric cooling fans (2) with thermostat control. New T-5 World Class Transmission & Rebuilt transfer case. Front 4.10 diff Detroit True Track locker. Rear 4:10 diff with ARB locker and on-board compressor.Pro-comp leafs, 2" body lift, front Fox shocks and rear Bilstein shocks. Heavy duty Spicer front axels and joints. Rear axles switched out to one piece axles Heavy duty driveshaft with CV Joints. I replaced the 15x7 rims with 15x10's. I also put 12.5 35's on it. It had narrow 31's.


Here comes the problem. My father in law was behind me and noticed that the rear tire on the passenger side sticks out farther from the body than the drivers side. Yep I checked it and it is about 1.5 inches farther from the frame than the drivers side. And the same amount from the fender flares.

I changed out the 3/8" leaf spring centering pin. As the old ones needed it. No Luck. It might be even worse now?????

Taking a straight edge I lined up the rear to the front. The passenger side rear is out about 1-3/4" from the front. The drivers side rear is around 1-3/4" inside the front tire. The drivers side tire has about 2.5" between it and the flare. The passenger side has around 4".

It rides fine. Well at least I thought it did before this was pointed out to me. Now I think it pulls and I can't help but notice the wheels sticking out or in depending on the side.

I sure hope the frame is not bent. Uncle has a frame shop in Phoenix AZ but I do not want to deal with a bent frame.

Here are some pictures.

Driver rear

Passenger front.

Drivers rear.

Passenger rear.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Do you have lift shackles installed? Could be the axle shifting due to long shackles, worn shackle bushings, or a combination of both.

 

[VegasCJ7]

Do you have lift shackles installed? Could be the axle shifting due to long shackles, worn shackle bushings, or a combination of both.

Yes it does. Thank You.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Looks like a nice clean CJ, how about some overall pics and pics under the hood?

 

[VegasCJ7]

It has the AMC 20 in the rear. How can I check the axle? It has one piece axles in the rear. I am getting a full cage and paint. I want to make sure it is not the frame before we tie it in to it.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Nice looking jeep.

Do any of the shackles lean to one side?

 

[VegasCJ7]

Nice looking jeep.

Do any of the shackles lean to one side?

Thank you. No they do not, they look brand new. The guy I bought it from said he just put new leafs in the back a few months back.

I just got it down off of stands. A LOT of axle grease all over the inside of the passenger side brake drum. I measured from the pumpkin to the leaf spring u bolts on both sides, here is what I got.

Drive side.
Pumpkin to farthest u bolt measure 10-1/4"
Passenger side measured 12-1/2".

Drive side...
Pumpkin to closets u bolt measured 7-1/4"
Passenger side measured 9-3/8".

I also noticed that there is a breather tube/line? on the passenger side housing that looks like it is in the spot where the u bolt should go to make each side equal.

I will post pictures on Sunday, the camera died.

 

[SteelHeadz]

That fluid or grease you found inside the brake drum indicates either an axle leak or the wheel cylinder. Is that still the Model 20 axles on the rear?

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

Not all rear differentials are centered on the axle housing. For a more accurate measurement, I would measure from the backing plate to the leaf spring on each side to determine if the axle was installed correctly.

 

[VegasCJ7]

That fluid or grease you found inside the brake drum indicates either an axle leak or the wheel cylinder. Is that still the Model 20 axles on the rear?

It has one piece after market axles on it. What brand I have no idea.

Not all rear differentials are centered on the axle housing. For a more accurate measurement, I would measure from the backing plate to the leaf spring on each side to determine if the axle was installed correctly.

Will do, thank you. Any idea on what that venting tube is? I will post the pictures.

 

[VegasCJ7]

First off thank you for all the input I have been getting. I checked from the back of the drum to the side of the leaf, and both sides are within 3/8 of and inch of each other.

Here are more pics. 1st one shows that breather line? 3rd and 4th shows my original measurements. It sits off set to the passengers side and cocked in the wheel wheels. Towards the front on the drivers and rear on the passengers.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Yup, that's a Model 20 rear axle. The vent tube is where it's supposed to be. I will take measurements on my CJ7 with the same rear axle as yours for comparison. I will post as soon as i get it.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Since your rear AMC20 rear axle is a wide track and mine is a narrow track ,the measurements from the axle flange to the edge of the leaf springs(outboard) will be different from mine, However, it should be the same from the differential housing to the inboard edge of the springs. I measured 7 1/2 inches on the driverside and 9 5/8 on the passenger side. I also took a picture of the tires profile from the side to compare to the offset on yours. EDIT: sorry i forgot to flip the pics around.

 

[Boze]

I am going to be of no help at all, BUT, I think that pic of your CJ in the desert was taken out by black mountain in Henderson if I'm not mistaken. And your subdivision looks exactly like my dad's. He's over by Trop and Pecos...Nice CJ by the way.

 

[Bounty__Hunter]

If that's the original axle then your problem isn't the location of the spring perches, it's likely somewhere else. Either in the shackles and bushings, or a tweaked frame.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Also, if there's a body lift, check to see if they are straight up and down on the rear mounts.

 

[SteelHeadz]

I am going to be of no help at all, BUT, I think that pic of your CJ in the desert was taken out by black mountain in Henderson if I'm not mistaken. And your subdivision looks exactly like my dad's. He's over by Trop and Pecos...Nice CJ by the way.

I use to live on Buffalo and Westcliff.

 

[VegasCJ7]

First off, what is the difference between a AMC20 wide track and a narrow track?

If that's the original axle then your problem isn't the location of the spring perches, it's likely somewhere else. Either in the shackles and bushings, or a tweaked frame.

I am starting to think frame. But it looks so so clean and straight to the naked eye.

Also, if there's a body lift, check to see if they are straight up and down on the rear mounts.

Never thought of that. And I did find something when I looked. The rear body lifts on the passenger side are leaning forward a bit. The one in front of the wheel are way leaning forward and the bolt is loose and the front one is gone all together.

I use to live on Buffalo and Westcliff.

I am going to be of no help at all, BUT, I think that pic of your CJ in the desert was taken out by black mountain in Henderson if I'm not mistaken. And your subdivision looks exactly like my dad's. He's over by Trop and Pecos...Nice CJ by the way.

I live in Summerlin and it was taken off of Sunset and Grand Canyon. Thank You.

Once again THANK YOU to everyone.

 

[SteelHeadz]

So there is a possibility that your body has shifted from the frame. The best way to tell is to check from the front frame toawrds the body and then rear frame to the body tub. Also measure the distance of the body side to the frame on both sides. To answer your question on the difference between the AMC narrow trac and wide trac, the narrow trac was used on the CJ's from 76-81 and the wide trac was from 82-86. Some CJ's came out with the Dana 44's in 86 after the Amc 20's were used up. From 1976 -78 the rear brake drums used were the 11X2" and after 78 the 10X1.75 drums were used.From wheel to wheel, the wide trac is 54.5" long and the narrow trac is 50.5". Both are 36" from spring pad to spring pad.

 

[VegasCJ7]

The body looks jacked up. I can see about 1/3" of the rear vertical frame rail or what ever it is called on the passenger rear by the gas cap. And the body is about 1/8" over that same bar on the drivers side.

Now how hard is it to put a new body lift on a jeep?