Hey guys,
Back in August 2002 I spun a 180 and landed my rear drivers tire into a curb, which saved my car from body damage. It cracked the rim, and I have since replaced all four rims and tires because of this, but today I noticed a problem out of the blue. When I got out of my car today I looked at the drivers rear tire, it seemed to be in the well a little bit. I looked at the other tire (pass rear) and it seemed to be sticking out a little. I eyed it up in the rear and it seems that my rear end is sticking out to the pass side about a half an inch to an inch. I have not noticed this until 5 months later, and the car has performed like it used to after I switched the rear drivers axle due to being bent from impact. WHen I am on the highway the car is smooth up to 85, I haven't gone any higher than that for obvious reasons (no freak accidents), and the steering wheel is held straight. Do you guys think it could be off center, or are my new rims at different offsets? I find it weird that the car runs as it should if the axle is off center.

 

By the way, my uncle put the new inner axle in, do you think he may have put it too far into the differential or something? I know nothing about the internals of rear ends, just a thought. Hehe, that didnt sound right.

 

Look underneath and see if you see something bent. It's common for the rear to be off a little bit. If it's lowered, or the springs are sagging it gets worse.

 

I didn't see anything right after the collision, but I suppose puttin it on jackstands and takin a look wont hurt either?

 

The entire powertrain is usually offset to the passenger side. Even the engine and tranny are offset. Everything is moved over because of the steering shaft. GM moved the engine over slightly to clear the steering shaft. Everything else behind it is offset to line up to the engine.

The diff is really noticable when you put really wide tires on. One will stick out a litlle more than the other.

The engine is noticable if you put a scoop or cowl hood on when using a carb and tall air filter. The air filter isn't centered under the hood.

 

Thats a little relieving lol. Thats a rather cheap way to solve a problem in my opinion, I put some 16" Camaro rims on there and it kinda shows, not that much but it does, hey its stealth enough to take me five months to notice. I guess an inch or so isnt anything to worry about, and that it came stock that way?

 

Sounds like you have one of those not-so-rare bent panhard bar options. May want to check and see if it is now bent.

RBob.

 

Um, whats a panhard bar? Is it that thing that kinda goes across the rear, only it goes diagonal from top to bottoM? I'd assume that if it were like this my trans would be about to go from all of the stress of the shaft, unless the U-joint may have spared me on this one. I'll try to put it on the jack at my buddy's shop and see what we see.

 

#4 in pic.

RBob.