# Centering Body on Frame



## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

I had 4 people in my 67 GTO the other day and the tire was rubbing on the passenger side rear.
I haven't taken a measurement but on the driver's side I can stick my hand between the fender and the tire up to my palm, on the passenger side I can barely get my fingers in there.
The car has no repairs or bondo in either fender is there a way to center the body so I have the same distance on each side?
I thought it was the trailing arms since the bushings were worn and one was slightly bent but after replacing them nothing changed.
Any ideas on how to fix this would be appreciated.


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## Al T (Mar 15, 2010)

I'm not sure what you have for rims but are you sure both have the same offset?

As far as the "centered on the frame" question, you should be able to measure from the outside frame rail at the rear to the quarter panel and then at the cowl to the frame. A comparison of measurements side to side should tell you how the body is sitting. 

Good luck.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

Al T said:


> I'm not sure what you have for rims but are you sure both have the same offset?
> 
> As far as the "centered on the frame" question, you should be able to measure from the outside frame rail at the rear to the quarter panel and then at the cowl to the frame. A comparison of measurements side to side should tell you how the body is sitting.
> 
> Good luck.


Thanks for the input, I will pull the wheels and check the offset but they appear to be a matching set.
I will also take the measurements you suggested and post the results.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

Well the measurement is 8 3/4 on the money both sides from frame to fender, the offset the same on the wheels and off of a level on the edge center of fender to the first body line on the top is 1 5/8 both sides so the fender isn't bowed in.
From the tire to inside fender is 5/16 ths on the passenger side, 13/16 ths on the driver side.
It appears that the rear end needs to be shifted over but the car tracks straight and looks good pulling a line down both sides.
Should I shave the inside of the fender?
Looks like 3/16ths should do it going by a straight edge off of the tire.
The tires are new 235 redlines and plane out perfect with a straight edge across both tires side by side.
Both rear springs are new and the measurement is 19 5/8ths on both sides at the top of the jack slots.


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## kilkm68 (May 5, 2011)

I have the exact same problem with my 68. Tires rubbed with passengers in back seat and same clearance difference between left and right side. I'm running 275 /60/15 on Crager 15x8 wheels. I'm considering shaving the lip on the wheel well also.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

kilkm68 said:


> I have the exact same problem with my 68. Tires rubbed with passengers in back seat and same clearance difference between left and right side. I'm running 275 /60/15 on Crager 15x8 wheels. I'm considering shaving the lip on the wheel well also.



Summit has an airbag kit that goes inside the springs on the 68 but it doesn't fit the 67.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/air-60744/applications/make/pontiac/model/gto/year/1968

It would be nice if I could raise it when I have extra weight in the car, I could also use 1" lift blocks but I seldom have 4 people in the car and don't want to change the way the car sits.
It looks like shaving the lip is what I will have to do.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

Well after doing a little more research the stock tire size is 225/70-15 and the tires on the car are 235/70-15.
I think this is why they are rubbing with 4 people in the car.


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## eeyore (Oct 23, 2014)

Could it be a salvage yard axle with the wrong off set.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

eeyore said:


> Could it be a salvage yard axle with the wrong off set.


Maybe that is possible but I had to use kroil and my impact wrench to remove the bolts on the trailing arms, some vintage rust on them and I don't think they have ever been removed.
Does anyone know if there is a number on the rear end I could check to see if this is the original rear end? 

Edit: Numbers are on the right rear axle tube near the carrier, I will check these in the AM.

Update: The rear end has code WD which is the 2:93 rear end for this car w/factory air so it is the original rear end that came with the car per the PHS report that came with the car.
The tire barely rubs on the fender and only with 4 people in the car so I will live with it until I need new tires then I will buy the proper 225 tires for the car.


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## eeyore (Oct 23, 2014)

Goat Roper said:


> trailing arms since the bushings were worn and one was slightly bent but after replacing them nothing changed.


If memory serves, it's a coil spring car with a 4 Link and* No left to right track bar?*
It could be a normal condition. These old cars have lots of history. Could have been slid sideways into a curb and slightly bent all the arms.

I would get it off the ground but with the weight on the wheels and do more eye balling and measuring.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

eeyore said:


> If memory serves, it's a coil spring car with a 4 Link and* No left to right track bar?*
> It could be a normal condition. These old cars have lots of history. Could have been slid sideways into a curb and slightly bent all the arms.
> 
> I would get it off the ground but with the weight on the wheels and do more eye balling and measuring.


That is what I thought was a possibility so I replaced the trailing arms with new QA1 boxed units from Summit.
This didn't change the dimension from the tire to the fender. 
The car came with 14" rims and 225 tires and they were replaced with 15x7 rally II rims and 235 tires.

I can't go back to 14" rims because I did the disc brake conversion so they won't fit.
The tires are new so I will just have to live with them until they wear out then I will get a set of 225s for it.
The fronts also rub if I turn hard right or left from what I have read these 235s are just too wide for the car.
The tire just barely rubs with 4 people in the car so I am sure a set of 225s with take care of the problem.
I also replaced the tie rod ends so it needs to go on the alignment rack and I will have the guy check it out there.


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## 666bbl (Apr 13, 2014)

A little experienced info and trivia from decades in the biz, the wheel wells are not symmetric in the 1st gen (64-67) A bodies. The left is visually different when viewed from the trunk. They're actually quite similar to the early GM 'X' frame cars. Even on the outside sheet metal like 1/4s and fenders, some precise measuring will reveal differences up to nearly 1/2 inch in the location of the wheel center to the front of the rear wheel openings at the rocker. 'F' bodies are a full 3/8" closer to the tire on the driver's side than the passenger (or maybe it's the other way around). Back then the clay models were not automatically copied from 1 side to the other, they were done by hand and templates. Some are real bad. Early 'E' body 'Cuda front fender openings vary by 3/4" from the back of the front wheel to the rear fender edge. Take a close look in your trunk and you can see it. The car isn't "wrong" and niether is the rear axle. Stuff big tires in and the differences become easy to see. Just a little FYI and muscle trivia...


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

666bbl said:


> A little experienced info and trivia from decades in the biz, the wheel wells are not symmetric in the 1st gen (64-67) A bodies. The left is visually different when viewed from the trunk. They're actually quite similar to the early GM 'X' frame cars. Even on the outside sheet metal like 1/4s and fenders, some precise measuring will reveal differences up to nearly 1/2 inch in the location of the wheel center to the front of the rear wheel openings at the rocker. 'F' bodies are a full 3/8" closer to the tire on the driver's side than the passenger (or maybe it's the other way around). Back then the clay models were not automatically copied from 1 side to the other, they were done by hand and templates. Some are real bad. Early 'E' body 'Cuda front fender openings vary by 3/4" from the back of the front wheel to the rear fender edge. Take a close look in your trunk and you can see it. The car isn't "wrong" and niether is the rear axle. Stuff big tires in and the differences become easy to see. Just a little FYI and muscle trivia...


Thanks for that info I just ordered a set of Coker BFGoodrich Silvertown Radial Tires P 225/70R 15s from Summit and will just resell the 235s that came on the car.


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## SANDU002 (Oct 13, 2004)

I ran 225x60x15's on my '67 with no rubbing on full turns or with 4 people in the car. I also had air shocks on rear since I like the raked look.


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## Goat Roper (Oct 28, 2014)

SANDU002 said:


> I ran 225x60x15's on my '67 with no rubbing on full turns or with 4 people in the car. I also had air shocks on rear since I like the raked look.


That is the proper size for the car, the 225/70s are taller.
I tried to get the 225/60-15 redlines but it looks like they have been discontinued.


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