The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop 36-38 pickup owners

I am in the middle of setting up the rear suspension in my '38 1/2 ton pickup and I have read that setting the wheelbase at 113" will center the tire in the fender. The original wheelbase is 112". I don't have a bed or fenders to work with (yet) so I thought I'd ask before making any final decisions. What is the ideal wheelbase for these trucks to have the wheel centered in the fender?

I wish I could help you, I had my driveline in before installing the bed and fenders. It didn't take long to see the problem once I started installing fenders. I cut the running boards and moved the fenders forward. Since the bed was new, I had to drill holes anyway. Alvin should know the right amount, just hold out for him to answer.

Joe

My 37 (just like your 38) is set at the stock wheel base and my wheels couldn't be anymore centered than they are. You can check the pics, the rear wheel is the 17th picture as you scroll the right side of the pictures. Click on the pic for a full view.

pila38. I do not know the "technical" answer but maybe some good info.
First I'm running a Stang II front end and a 79/80 Malibu rearend.
Its been awhile so I'd need to look under the truck to check and see how much I moved my rearend. I used the original springs.

To center the wheels I took a 1/2" thick plate and drilled a hole for the spring center bolt to poke through. Then I drilled another hold in the plate and threaded it.... then screwed an allen head bolt into it so center hole in the lowering block would fit down over it..... Now, the question is how much forward or backward did I drill the hole from the center one.
To answer that question I will have to go look under the 37 tomorrow after lunch. I just can't remember.

I might add that you need to take into consideration what size tire you run as to how it will look under the fender. I measured and remeasure time after time on my panel and in the end I simply moved the rear end till it suited me.

And if you center the rear end on the 38 I'd wait until its all hooked up to do any welding on perch blocks depending on what rearend your using.
I'll check my 37 tomorrow and get back with you.

I'm with Alvin on this one. Sliding the rear-end back an inch or so is pretty straightforward, and avoids moving fenders / running boards. Depending on what driveline you are using, you may even have a little more adjustment by sliding the splined end of the driveshaft in/out of the trans a bit.

Thanks for all the help guys, I appreciate it. I definitely will not be final welding anything in until I have all the necessary sheetmetal. I just wanted to try to get as close as possible before tacking it together. I need to make this truck into a roller, I'm sick of looking at jack stands! Just for some background, I'm running ladder bars and coil-overs (I plan on doing some racing), so I'm starting with a completely blank slate and thought I might try to take advantage of it.

pila38....sorry I can't be of a more direct help. I slide under my 37 this afternoon and its is so hard to tell just how much I moved it without taking the U-bolts loose and jacking it up a bit. As best I can guess I think I moved it back 1 1/2" but that may only work for my set up. I remember moving the rear end to w where I liked it..... .then look at it the next day as I walked into the shop.....then move it a little and let it down....and so it went for two days until I finally said "thats it".
Good luck.