Lean question(again!)

[Trappey74]

My 74 has a severe lean to the passenger rear. I've had a local shop that put the lift on for the previous owner say it's in the frame. Not buying it bc every door and line and panel lines up perfectly. Sometimes after riding around town or in the woods it will sit very close to level. Any suggestions? I have a 14 piece bushing kit and have heard all about the C bushings but does this sound like something like that or possibly a rear leafs issue?

 

[DJs74]

Hey Trappey, IMO it sure won't hurt to install the new bushing kit - especially if the current bushings are original or of unknown age.
If you are experiencing the levelness / lean changing after being driven I would say that points toward the bushings because they are not rigid, they flex and change as you articulate the suspension.
If the frame was bent or causing the lean, it more than likely wouldn't change after driving it unless the frame was so damaged it is weak and on the verge of breaking apart.

I think the bushing kit install is a step in the right direction regardless and could possibly fix the lean altogether.

Just remember about the C-bushing install and make sure the radius arms are equal height and use plenty of lubrication... soapy water or liquid hand soap or even WD-40, it helps tremendously with new polyurethane bushings.

DJs74

 

[hyghlndr]

Are the rear springs original? Either bushings or rear springs 99% of the time. I doubt it is the frame unless there was severe obvious damage.

 

[Rustytruck]

Loosen the rear bolts that mount the springs to the frame and shackles. just enough to know its loose but not enough to come apart. Carefully drive the truck around the block and park the truck on a flat level spot and properly re-torque the bolts. If the installer didn't properly torque the bolts with full weight on the springs and tires you can have issues. Do this before messing with the front end again.

 

[bamabaja]

Restoring '66 U 13 to stock. Any suggestions on a vendor kit that is best OEM repro ? Doing entire suspension. Thanks.

 

[blubuckaroo]

Take a tape measure to it on a level surface. Log everything and make comparisons side to side. That's the only way you'll know whether it's the chassis, body mount/perches, or springs.

 

[Trappey74]

Are the rear springs original? Either bushings or rear springs 99% of the time. I doubt it is the frame unless there was severe obvious damage.

The rear springs don't look to be original. The previous owner can't remember what lift he put on and thinks he put a taller lift on the front than the rear.

I had a body shop look at it and they said they swapped the leaf springs to see if it shifted the lean and nothing happened. After it sits for a few days it looks like it's dang near sitting on the brake drum it leans so bad. And of course the front drivers side is higher than the front pass.

I'm very inclined to say it's either the c bushings or something with rear shackles or springs bc at 65 mph down the highway it drives straight as an arrow so that makes me a little Leary to tear into the front end as well.

 

[blubuckaroo]

One of the hardest things in my life is letting go of a dollar.
No way would I throw money at your lean without measuring things myself. There are just too many variables. Measure, measure, measure!

 

[Trappey74]

I understand what y'all are saying about measure. But when I measure, the whole dang pass side is lower than the drivers side. Mostly 3/4" difference everywhere. Maybe slightly greater in places

 

[blubuckaroo]

I understand what y'all are saying about measure. But when I measure, the whole dang pass side is lower than the drivers side. Mostly 3/4" difference everywhere. Maybe slightly greater in places

Start at the bottom and work your way up.
Axles to ground, then chassis to ground, then body to ground. Log each then compare both sides.

 

[Crush]

Geound needs to be perfectly flat for that which is the untimate way to do it. But if its not flat and If you have matching wheels and tires with the same pressure in them, you can just start frame to axel and make sure it is label to each other. Then Check body to frame distances. If those are off then do body bushings and chexk all body mount supports

 

[blubuckaroo]

The reason I like to measure to the ground is then you don't need to find a place to measure to.
The leans I've worked on typically don't have only one culprit. They usually are a combination of differences that add up.

With a short wheelbase vehicle like this, it is very easy for a front end issue to influence the rear, or a rear influence the front. "C" bushing issues are a perfect example of this.