HQ - WB Diff alignment question

Just wondering if it's only my van or others as well, But:
My diff APPEARS to be about 3/4" further to the drivers side compared to the passengers side.
ie, the sidewall is tucked under the passenger side whereas the drivers side protrudes past the guard.
All measurements from the chassis to the wheels are the same both sides, but the wheel arch spaces are different
Drivers side inner to outer guard measurement is 12 1/4" and the passengers side is 13".
Is this what everyone else's is like??

Thanks

Give me some time Craig and I'll measure mine up a for
you to give a comparison ..mine are also pumped out a bit too.

Also is your diff a sedan one modded or factory van/ ute..
Sedan ones have holes in the housing above the tail shaft on the 45* boss

The one that's in it is a 2.78 out of a sedan.
I measured it up against my original 3.08, and the holes on the weled on brackets, are in the same spot an the van diff.

Craig do you have lowering blocks ?
Check locateing dowels to see if they haven't sheared off..
Make sure "U" bolts are tight and threads not stripped..
Check springs very very carefully for cracks/broken spring especially around /in the saddle area
& all bushes are in very good condition..

panoz78 wrote:Craig do you have lowering blocks ?

No

panoz78 wrote:Check locateing dowels to see if they haven't sheared off..

Still there and are perfectly round.

panoz78 wrote:Make sure "U" bolts are tight and threads not stripped..

Removed aftermarket "u" bolts yesterday and replaced with original ones. Just in case, but they were tight and not striped.

panoz78 wrote:Check springs very very carefully for cracks/broken spring especially around /in the saddle area

Double checked them yesterday and all look good with no cracks.

panoz78 wrote: all bushes are in very good condition..

Replaced the rears about 6 months ago with nolethane ones. pulled springs out yesterday and rechecked fronts and they are reasonably good too.
When I had the diff jacked up from the springs, I removed the springs from the van to fully inspect.

Only 1 Thing i'm going to check after lunch is the backspace on EACH rim. I've done the hard stuff but I haven't checked this.
Will notify tonight.

Graig just thought of something else
Check the wheel bearing to make sure it is seat home on the axle..
Holden where renound for the axle sliding through the bearing and retaining collar....
If this is happening the distance from the backing plates will be different to axle flange..
To fix you will have to measure the axle diameter and it should be larger than the internal size of the bearing..This is so the bearing sits tight on the axle.You can get them repaired if undersized by a
reclamation engineering place, they will rebuild the axle up to the right size(take the new bearing).

Already looked at that as well.
Found something today.
Wheel backspace is different between the 2 wheels 3/8"
So that covers the majority of the gap.
So thanks for your help.

ONLY thing I can't work out is why the wheel arch depths are different between each side.

If the chassis to wheel arch measurement is different on each side, could that suggest chassis and diff are in correct alignment, and wheel arches are out?

Also, does the car feel different driving through left hand and right hand sweepers? If so, that suggests the diff could be out of alignment. If not, more likely panels are out........


-Rohan.

Gidday Craig

Way back in the early 80's I was told by my Panel Beater the HQ-HZ Diff sits 1/4" towards the Driver's Side.  True or not I heard it from a few different sources.

I was given an explanation, but can't remember enough detail to be accurate.

Also depends on how much tolerance GMH had during production. A little bit here and there add up.

3/4" (19mm) sounds a lot, although only 9.5mm off centre.

NOTE: you would need to halve the distance if you were going to move it across.

Inner Wheel Arches/Guards are different Left from Right, which those who have cut & fitted side Panels find out quickly.  I'm guessing to cut manufacturing costs, GMH used the Wagon components, which accommodate the Fuel Filler & Neck to the rear of the RHS Rear Wheel Arch, to avoid routing them through the internal of the Vehicle.

I don't know whether or not the Sedans used the same as the Filler is behind the Number Plate in the Rear Bar.

Earlier Holden Vans used the Wagon Floor Pan as well.  It think Ford do the same all the way through to XC.  Be interesting to know whether it applies to the later models.

Stargazer wrote:If the chassis to wheel arch measurement is different on each side, could that suggest chassis and diff are in correct alignment, and wheel arches are out?

Also, does the car feel different driving through left hand and right hand sweepers? If so, that suggests the diff could be out of alignment. If not, more likely panels are out........


-Rohan.

Chassis to wheel arch virtually the same and it feels fine to drive.
Outer edge of tyres now the same distance from chassis, so that part all good now.
It's just the with of wheel arches are different.

Rusty62TransAm wrote:
Inner Wheel Arches/Guards are different Left from Right, which those who have cut & fitted side Panels find out quickly.  I'm guessing to cut manufacturing costs, GMH used the Wagon components, which accommodate the Fuel Filler & Neck to the rear of the RHS Rear Wheel Arch, to avoid routing them through the internal of the Vehicle..

Interesting to hear.

If someone could measure the rear wheel arch depths on the body please, it'd be appreciated.

hi agro, it hasn't been in a prang on one side thanx wizard