I have a quick question. Greg and I were fitting the 240 rear into the Canuck today and when we checked the rear for square a couple of different ways and were always out 1/8". The lower arms that I built are exactly the same length, so with them installed, how could the rear be located 1/8 off? I'm using the squishy IPD bushings on the rear arms and could correct the difference by cutting one of the busings. Any other thoughts?

The only thing I can think of is that the brackets are off a little. We checked against the front axle, the cross member and a centre point near the transmission.

We've didn't mount the upper arms yet, but they set the pinion angle, not the fore/aft distance. I'm out of good ideas at this point. I can make it work, but it makes no sense.

You're probably right, and I'm guessing that it's off such that the driver is looking more through the center of the windshield than towards the A-pillar.

The rear is positioned such that the drivers side is 1/8" towards the rear of the car, so you'd be looking through the A-piller not the centre of the windshield. So I guess I should cut 1/8 off the bushing?

Strange. I've suspected that manufacturers will sweep the butt over towards the curb to ensure that the car is leading with the passenger front fender, so that if the car gets into a head on, the driver's head has a better chance of hitting the windshield than the A pillar.

Have you triangulated the trailing arm pickup points to see if the DS one is more rearward, or is it just in the rear end? Knowing the control arms are the same length, it's either in the body side pickup or the brackets were welded onto the axle crooked.

As soon as Greg gets here this morning we'll check the bracket location. If it's all square, then we'll have to assume it's the brackets and I'll shorten one of the bushings - problem solved.

Lot of learning on this one today...turns out that the upper suspension arm is only a torque rod on the 66 and doesn't located the pinion at all. The pinion angle is completely controlled by the L-brackets on the axle...so all our error is in the position of the brackets...which in the end was under 1/16" of an inch. I worked this out as I was installing the brackets. Pictures will follow soon.

Here's a few photo's of the install...it's very hard to get a decent picture in the tight quarters of my garage.


A view from the side.



A look at the brakets (a little blurry). They were a pain to get installed in the correct position...having to cut a hole in the frame rail with about 6" of clearance is nasty work.





Here the final shot - up and installed, well except for the panhard rod which has to be taken off for a new coat of POR-15.