68’ Dodge Charger frame measurement concerns?

[Tommyb117]

Look towards the back. One measurement is 82 while the other is 81 1/4. Granted, this was done with a measuring tape and with the rear end was somewhat in the way of the tape. Should I be concerned about 3/4 of an inch? The height seems to be the same and everything fit fine. I also measured from a spot in the rear cross member to each frame rail. It’s a 1/4 off. I put the new frame rails in a few years ago (a little less experienced back then and only 15 years old with no help), now I’m just getting back to the car again after a year plus so I was curious to where the frame was. I did my best without a frame machine or a jig but I did use a tram gauge. People told be the frame holes are not always 100% exact on new ones either. Thank you all who responds!

 

[Demonic]

Got a flat floor? Mark the spots w a plumb bob and transfer the dimensions to the floor. Then measure that. 3/4" is close, 1/4" is well within factory tolerance.

 

[Tommyb117]

Got a flat floor? Mark the spots w a plumb bob and transfer the dimensions to the floor. Then measure that. 3/4" is close, 1/4" is well within factory tolerance.

Thanks for the info! The rails all lined up with the floors pretty well and everything fits fine so im sure it’s okay. It’s not like its noticeably crooked or anything. When I put them in a few years ago, I remember it being really hard to make them exactly the same. For some reason I couldn’t get it perfect but hopefully this is close enough. Thank you again and anymore info would be great!

 

[Johnpat]

Sounds like your doing a fine job,something's from
Factory are not always perfect
Keep at it

 

[Tommyb117]

Sounds like your doing a fine job,something's from
Factory are not always perfect
Keep at it

Thank you, I appreciate that

 

[DeltaV]

You might want to touch base with @7necharger to compare notes; and commiserate.

He has a thread for other frame measurements.
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/help-with-measurement-please.165719/

Also, the measurements that I posted to his thread were taken from my car using a plumb bob, 4 ft long straight edge, and a steel measuring tape.

The Dodge factory service manual says that the point to point measurements should be within a quarter of an inch. That information and other pictures are posted to 7neCharger's thread too.

 

[Tommyb117]

You might want to touch base with @7necharger to compare notes; and commiserate.

He has a thread for other frame measurements.
https://www.forbbodiesonly.com/moparforum/threads/help-with-measurement-please.165719/

Also, the measurements that I posted to his thread were taken from my car using a plumb bob, 4 ft long straight edge, and a steel measuring tape.

The Dodge factory service manual says that the point to point measurements should be within a quarter of an inch. That information and other pictures are posted to 7neCharger's thread too.

On the diagram, the distance from frame rail to frame rail at the very back is 47 1/4. I measured mine and it’s 47 1/8.

 

[DeltaV]

On the diagram, the distance from frame rail to frame rail at the very back is 47 1/4. I measured mine and it’s 47 1/8.

47 1/4 or 37 1/4 at the very back?

Anyway, you need to measure the diagonals too...using a plumb bob to "project" the measuring points on to a flat and level floor.

 

[Tommyb117]

47 1/4 or 37 1/4 at the very back?

Anyway, you need to measure the diagonals too...using a plumb bob to "project" the measuring points on to a flat and level floor.

Yes I meant 37 1/4. I wanted to see if the height was correct so I followed a diagram that says put the tram gauge 6 inches down from a hole in the frame at the front of the rear frame rail and and the other end at 16 7/8 to the rear leaf spring pin. But when I did that, the gauge wasn’t reading level. To get the thing leveled, I had to increase 16 7/8 to 17 3/4. I’m not sure if I’m doing anything wrong or the height is in fact different from the diagram. But they are the same height on both sides (17 3/4). The car is on all four wheels but I had to jack the rear of the car (jack in the middle and a 2 by 2 steel bar pushing up on the same location on each rail) up to get the tram gauge to fit.

 

[Tommyb117]

Also, the front of the rear framerails measurement (36 3/4) is the same on the diagram and on my car. So the front of them have the correct distance and the back as well.

 

[CHARGERSTEVEN]

The inch difference in height of rear rails is going to make a big problem with panel replacement.Get the car level on your tram and rear diff out,if car is on all four wheels.level the car from side to side n front to back.

 

[Tommyb117]

47 1/4 or 37 1/4 at the very back?

Anyway, you need to measure the diagonals too...using a plumb bob to "project" the measuring points on to a flat and level floor.

Also ran a diagonal measurement with the tram gauge and there’s about a 1/2 inch difference between the two. I also have a 68’ satellite in my yard and I measured from a hole in the front of the rear frame rail and one hole in the back with the tram gauge and adjusted it so it’s level. Went back to my car and did the same thing. On my car, the bubble is within the lines on both sides but one rail is about a 1/2 higher and one is about a 1/4 higher roughly.

 

[Tommyb117]

The inch difference in height of rear rails is going to make a big problem with panel replacement.Get the car level on your tram and rear diff out,if car is on all four wheels.level the car from side to side n front to back.

I already replaced the floor from the fire wall back to the trunk, the rear cross member, rear valence, upper deck panal and more. Everything fit fine and it looks good. Didn’t run into major panel problems.

 

[Tommyb117]

The inch difference in height of rear rails is going to make a big problem with panel replacement.Get the car level on your tram and rear diff out,if car is on all four wheels.level the car from side to side n front to back.

Also, the car as it sits right now on wheels is pretty level.

 

[CHARGERSTEVEN]

You have pressure on the rear rails with the diff n springs attached n sitting on the wheels n the weight of the car.

 

[Tommyb117]

So basically to sum up everything I said, the front measurement distance of the frame rails is the same, the rear is the same. The diagonal is about a 1/2 off, and the height is roughly 1/4 off. Every panel I replaced fit well and everything looks at it should...

 

[CHARGERSTEVEN]

I didn't realize you had the trunk floor all ready welded in and cross member etc all welded up.

 

[CHARGERSTEVEN]

send a few pics of what you have done

 

[Tommyb117]

Here are some picks. I have to go back and fix some welds and finish some panels. I’m a lot better welder now then I was a few years ago. But here ya go

 

[Tommyb117]

So my question is, is the car going to ride crooked or anything knowing that the height is different by a 1/4, and the diagonal is off by about 1/2? Granted, all the panels fit fine too and didn’t run into major issues. When I was putting the frame in, I was scared to death that I was going to screw it up and even shaking at some points because I was so terrified....