The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Lopp sided truck.

Hi there everyone,
I have put a link to a photo of my truck.

The problem is, it is lopp sided when viewed from the front. The chasis seems straight as does the bumper. The passenger side (your driver side), seems lower than the other side. The whole grill assembly seems to go down hill.

I have already taken the cab bolt on the passenger side out (yr driver side) and chocked it up a few inches. Made no difference.

Would anyone have any ideas on what is causing this and how to rectify?

Thanks John.

Link below.

https://plus.google.com/photos/106260083219000588032/albums/6016192763166972993

John,

Do you think that the bumper bracket on one side is bent? Jacking up the cab on one side may not make much visual difference relative to the bumper and fenders. Since the cab and front clip appear to be from different year trucks, I would look at how the front fenders were mounted to the radiator support. Maybe someone did some creative engineering.

And welcome to the Stovebolt.

Paul

Hi there Paul,
All bumper brackets are straight. I thought that also and checked.

In an Australian truck, (parts imported from Canada and assembled in the HOLDEN plant here), this isa standard truck as original as it left the assembly line. I have seen a few. From what I can gather being the last of the series maybe leftover parts were shipped. Typical of these trucks is that there is quite a few things that are from late forties and early fifties thrown in. Windscreen, door seals, dash all vary as to the American style of a 54.

Yes Paul the front seems to pivot on/around the radiator and the gurds are bolted up the radiator support evenly on both sides. I will check and see if the radiator is askew but I think it is o.k.

If you can think of something else to check, please let me know.

Thanks again,

John.

This is what I would do. Take off front bumper and brackets and set them aside. Park on as level a spot as possible and start measuring: Floor to front of each frame rail. Once you establish that frame rails are at same height, measure Various sheet metal body components on either side to a point on frame all the while checking for level at top of cab, hood, fenders (same "level" as floor)(bubble level). Check front wheel wells, center of arc, each side, from floor. If you don't find anything caddywhompus, it's the bumper and/or brackets. You can not tell what is wrong without a bunch of careful measuring, it is an optical illusional nightmare. If you don't set it up on a level X axis, you are wasting your time. Nice to meet you here, carry on. Nice truck albeit right hand drive

On my 38 the springs are part of the problem. On the front one spring has a very noticeable arch compared to the other. PO told me when they put the body on it that I bought it with and loaded it it set down on the tires. They jacked it up and started adding leaves to the springs until it held the load. Counting them the rear has a different number of leaves on each side. Part of my problem was also cab deterioration. Since we had the rust removed and cab stabilized things are much better.

I was only able to see one photo, the one from the front. To me it looks as if the cab is ok. The front bumper is definitely not level with the grille.
Bumper may be the only problem.

Thanks guys,
The bumper is attached tight to the two bumper bar supports. There is no movement to be had as the bolts just go into the bumper.

Interesting to note while looking at the truck front on when the bonnet is unlatched but in the closed position, (sticking up about three inches), the gap between the bottom of the bonnet and the top of the yellow grill is bigger on the right hand side.

Thanks

John.

John,

I am not familiar with the Holden body Chevrolet. interesting that the parts transition is different "down under". Thanks for the history lesson. Makes you wonder what else may be similar but different.

Have you examined the radiator support and the connections to the fender/fender well? You could possibly eliminate some factors by parking the truck in a level area, and jacking up the front of the truck equal heights on each side supported by the frame. This hopefully would eliminate differences in sagging springs or other suspension irregularities.

Also, have you removed the bumper and stacked the brackets on top of one another? If they are bent, the difference should jump out at you.

With some persistence, you will figure it out.

Paul

Do you have any other pics of the truck from different angles?

What does it look like from the rear? Does the cab line up with the bed?

If the cab were sagging, you'd see it against the bed. It can't be a spring problem, if it was, everything would be sagging in the same direction, including the bumper.

Do you know if that truck has ever been hit before? it is possible one of your frame rails may be up or down on one side on the end where the bumper attaches.

Try this, park the truck on a flat level surface, preferably a garage floor put it up on 4 jack stands directly on the frame so it's off of the suspension.

make sure all 4 stands are equal height & the frame is level. Once it's off the ground and level, measure the height of the frame rails to the floor.

This isnt the best way, but it will tell you if something is off on the frame. unless you can get it on a frame machine.
The frame machine will give you an exact measurement.

I am taking this all on board, completing a list of all suggestions and doing everything by next week hopefully.

[quote=Paul_WNC]John,

I am not familiar with the Holden body Chevrolet. interesting that the parts transition is different "down under". Thanks for the history lesson. Makes you wonder what else may be similar but different.

I have quite a few (probably 3-4 beers worth) of photos to show that I have on file of the refurb process. When I put these up you will see the interesting way bits and pieces have been thrown into the trucks here. That's why I have to be careful in what I buy. I have to do some careful research to make sure they fit. But, that is the fun of working on an old truck, all good.

There are two support rods going from the firewall to the fenders. They are adjustable and there is a spec as to the length where the nuts are. Have you looked at that?

I did not know there were specs for these for alignment. Thanks for mentioning that. Since your suggestion I have looked in the manual and have no specs there. I did a Google search on the subject and I cannot locate the specs there either. I am happy to search elsewhere if you point me in the right direction.

I have been mucking around with these supports originally when I wanted to try and rectify the problem, the fenders do adjust and I have experimented on different adjustments. All I seem to do is open/close the gap between bonnet and fender.

Maybe I need to slacken off the radiator support bolts and the bottom radiator support bolt onto the cross member and have another go at adjustment then.

I'll keep looking for these specs though.

Thanks

John.

John,

I trust you are aware of this site?

http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/

Paul

Hi Paul,
Yes I have seen that site before, my manual is in there.

I went back to my manual then and there are the measurements on page 11-5. (back in 5).

I just ducked outside then to check those rods and they are out a bit. Oh, well, a good job for in the daylight, it's 10:45pm here now.

Thanks

John.

I loosened the mount under the rad and let the rods determine where the fenders sat. After I was satisfied, I shimmed the mount under the rad saddle.

Hi everyone.
Spent a few hours yesterday with dad, trying to adjust the front section. Yes, it has been a while but other priorities dropped by.

Anyway, just an update. I made sure the chasis was level and that made the bumper level. It was pretty much level anyway. Loosened all the bolts I could. Front floor, inner guard to foot well both sides, under radiator, top of grill, grill to fender. Levered up fallen side of grill with timber wedges to assist the lifting. After going back and forth with the adjusting rods got it nearly perfect. Sits very well now.

Bonnet is way out of adjustment so back to the manual for that technique. I have found it, so just time to do it.

John,

Sounds like you are making some good progress. I am certain you will like the truck more once you correct the "lopp sided" problem.

I would be interested to see other differences on your Holden body truck.

Paul

My jeep suffers from this. The infamous 'jeep lean'. Its spring related.

Get the spring length specs for your truck and take them to a knowledgeable spring shop to get re arched. Springs will lose their arch (settle) and cause lean. Its usually only the fronts that flatten... not sure why.