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97 ram 318 4x4

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Old 07-01-2015, 10:39 AM
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Default 97 ram 318 4x4

It seems one rear wheel sticks out further then the other any ideas how to fix it I been told the axle tube compressed into the rear end never heard such of a thing
 
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Old 07-01-2015, 10:53 AM
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Same wheels/tires on each side? No spacers? rear axle centered under truck?
 
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Old 07-01-2015, 12:23 PM
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[QUOTE=HeyYou;3253037]Same wheels/tires on each side? No spacers? rear axle centered under truck?
Same wheels and tires
Stock truck and seems centered nothing broke
I started to do a front alignment and noticed it
 
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Old 07-01-2015, 05:10 PM
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Is he truck new to you? Or have you owned it since new? If you bought it used I would take it in and have a 4 wheel alignment done to see where the issue is. It could be a bent frame or something else. You've got to start somewhere and the 4wheel alignment is a good place. Let us know what you find out.

If you want to try doing some measurements yourself you need to make sure everything is square. Pick a point on the outside rear axle and measure up to the transfer case cross member rivet. Measure from both sides and see if you end up with the same measurements. When you measure do each side straight up and then measure across at an angle. If all the measurements are equal then there is something else wrong.
 
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Old 07-02-2015, 02:17 PM
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I'm fairly certain that the term "4 wheel alignment" doesn't apply to vehicles with a solid rear axle....I could be mistaken but I don't believe there are any points of adjustment on the rear wheels (toe, camber, caster, etc).

Another thought is, has the bed ever been removed or swapped out? I do know that it is possible to have the bed slightly off center of the frame...the holes do allow for some movement there. This would give the appearance that one wheel is sticking out further than the other when the actual problem is the bed is off center.. I've had my bed loose twice to do the fuel pump but I was always very careful to re-align it properly so that it was centered on the frame.
 
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Old 07-02-2015, 02:34 PM
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There are ways to move a rear axle even with leaf springs. I guess maybe just get them to take the measurements so you know how far the rear is out.
 
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Old 07-02-2015, 05:23 PM
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Default No swaps stock as far as I kno

There's a little hole on left and right side of housing shows some grease when the right side doesn't
So can the axle tube shift an throw the tire out I measured an there's about a inch and half difference from shock mount to center
 
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Old 07-02-2015, 07:46 PM
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Don't think shock mounts are a good point of reference. Measure all the way out to the backing plate for the brakes.
 
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Old 07-03-2015, 11:53 AM
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The chances of the axle tube moving out of the center section by 1" is not likely. Your diff is most likely not a center diff with axle shafts being the same length. They do this because of the way the pinion gear sits on the ring gear. It has to be offset to one side so that the driveshaft is on a straight line from the trans/transfer case to the yoke.

You need to take the measurements like I told you before. That will see if the axle has shifted.
 


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