Anyone have a good way to check the rear axle being square in chassis?

[69 GTX]

I'm wondering if there's a easy/quick way to check your rear axle to make sure it's square in the chassis before taking it to the alignment shop.

 

[Hemirunner]

You can square it to the car by taking diagonal measuements from each hanger to a point on the opposite side of the axle (top of u bolt) or backing plate like the bleeder. This should give you a rough idea if it's square to the body at least

 

[69 GTX]

Not sure about that, with the offset hangers right up against the frame, it might be tough to do.

 

[Hemirunner]

Go to the bottom of the frame where the drain hole is.

 

[AR67GTX]

Another method is to park the car with the front wheels dead ahead. Check it by laying a long straight edge at mid-height on the tire sidewall, extending back to the door. Measure the offset to the door and if equal on both sides your front tires should be reasonably straight (given Chrysler assembly tolerances). Then fasten a piece of fishing line tauntly between the front and rear tires. You can wrap it around the lug nuts - it just needs to run across the sidewalls of the tires at about mid height. Use the straightedge again, laid across the rear tire sidewall at mid-height. Make sure you hold the straightedge level on both sides at the same height, and measure to the same point, at the same distance in front of the rear wheel, on the door or rocker on both sides. Hopefully the distance you measure will be the same on both sides or very, very close. If so then your rear is pretty square to the chassis and tracking reasonably with the front suspension.

You can also pull a distance between the front and rear hubs centers on both sides as an additional check - but it's not a measurement you can depend on since any wear in the front suspension, difference in caster from side to side or collision damage to the front suspension can throw this measurement off from side to side.

 

[Daves69]

Park on flat level surface. Mark Plumb bob center points to floor. Measure points on floor.

 

[hammond472]

The plumb bob method works great and will give you an accurate history of what has happened to your car in the past. I just did this to our 67 Coronet when we were preparing to installed the rear four link setup. We took measurements of the whole car and all was well!

 

[ckessel]

If you have a connection to an alignment shop, it will show up as the thrust angle.

 

[69 GTX]

Thanks!