I know there are tons of threads about this but I haven't quite got the answer I was looking for. So to get door gaps perfect I have one back corner with 1/2 to 3/4 inches more shims than the the other side. The problem is that the car sits un level and rubs the tire. Now I have coilovers in the front and fully adjustable v b and p rear leaf so I can adjust it but is it bad to adjust it that much. I took tons of measurements to make sure the frame was square. I also have one wheel that seems to stick out further. I was thinking that when I get new widened quarters I could cheat it out a hair. Will any of this harm performance? Is this normal? I do know from old pics that the car had one wheel sticking out further than the other. Should I just adjust it and forget about it? Thanks

 

Has your body had any repairs in the past, like a rear quarter replaced? If so and if they didn't position it properly it could contribute to the one wheel sticking out more than the other.

Another possibility is the position of the body on the frame. There is actually some slop in the body mounts that will allow some re-positioning of the body. It may be that you just need to loosen all the mounts, bumpers, etc and tug the body in the direction that the wheel is sticking out further. I wouldn't be surprised in some cases if you could pick up 3/8 inch pretty easily.

And finally are your axle yokes relatively new and pretty snug in the differential case? Has your rear assembly been aligned? A combination of worn parts and differences in camber from side to side will make the tire positioning appear very different.

If all else fails and you are planning to install widened rear fenders anyway, you may just have to correct up for it at that time.

The nice thing about adjustable suspension components is that if you are serious about the subject you can get a set of corner scales and actually dial in the suspension adjustments to equalize the wheel loading from side to side and also F/R distribution on each side. This is not a process to do if you are more interested in having a perfect car stance for appearance. But if performance is your primary interest then I understand it makes a big difference.

 

My car fell off a car hauler when it was a couple years old so it is the Frankenvette. It has new frame and every part of the suspension is new and was square. So my guess was the quarter was off a little but I am worried about the shims. Will adjusting one corner effect the ride. Thank you for all the help.

 

The difference in body shimming won't affect ride to the best of my knowledge. But adjusting the spring rate on one wheel only, may throw the car's balance and handling off some.

 

That's what I was afraid of.

 

Tom,

When you get some time post some pics showing your concerns.

If the frame is new then the issue is more than likely in the body repairs.