Rear wheel location in well

[SteveG75]

Ok, weird question and probably just my OCD.

Just noticed that the passenger rear wheel is about 1/4” (maybe 3/8”) further back in the wheel well than the drivers side.

Now, I know that the body may not be perfectly square on the frame. And it hard to measure since the wheel is round, LOL.

Reason I ask is that I managed to drag my passenger rear wheel cap across a Jetta GLI front bumper yesterday pulling out of a parking place. Heard a noise but truck pulled forward fine. Only damage I could see to the truck was the wheel center cap. Just some scrapes that I could cover with a black sharpie. I looked under the truck, and didn’t see any indications that the axle or spring moved.

So, I was just wondering if anyone else’s wheels are slightly offset from each other?

 

[Phil314]

Lots of things could be off a bit.
If it was a result of the Jetta, then I'd bet your steering wheel would now be a bit crooked now?
Maybe it's always been like that and you only now noticed.

Maybe try measuring from a hard point like the front spring eye bolt to something on the axle on both side, instead of the fender.
Or measure the wheelbase from center of front wheel to rear wheel.

 

[SteveG75]

Steering wheel in still centered and truck tracks fine down the road. I’ll take another look when I get home tonight and can crawl under it.

 

[Modman]

Just noticed that the passenger rear wheel is about 1/4” (maybe 3/8”) further back in the wheel well than the drivers side.

There can be quite a bit of variance with how the factory fender flares are installed. If you are measuring to those to determine position that can eat up much of the difference. I'll go measure mine for comparison...

I like the suggestion @Phil314 made - use a chassis hard point for reference and that will tell the tale...

 

[Modman]

I'll go measure mine for comparison...

My rear wheels were between 1/8" and 1/4" different from the center of the wheel to a couple different points on the fender flare.

 

[Lunch Box]

Ok, weird question and probably just my OCD.

Just noticed that the passenger rear wheel is about 1/4” (maybe 3/8”) further back in the wheel well than the drivers side.

Now, I know that the body may not be perfectly square on the frame. And it hard to measure since the wheel is round, LOL.

Reason I ask is that I managed to drag my passenger rear wheel cap across a Jetta GLI front bumper yesterday pulling out of a parking place. Heard a noise but truck pulled forward fine. Only damage I could see to the truck was the wheel center cap. Just some scrapes that I could cover with a black sharpie. I looked under the truck, and didn’t see any indications that the axle or spring moved.

So, I was just wondering if anyone else’s wheels are slightly offset from each other?

And I thought I had a bad case of OCD, or CDO(alphabetical order)!

 

[Grabber]

The worse thing you can do is put a tape measure to any production vehicle. They are all different based upon different production tolerances. I am sure you did not do anything.

 

[HeavyAssault]

Variance in the wheel well opening would be my first thought.
Possibly the bed mounting could be off, but that's pretty hard with the way Ford changed the way the bed is placed.
It's possible the rear axle might be "just a hair" off with the rear springs mounting pads/u-bolts.

You need to measure another 10 different reference point to really find the one thing that gives you an answer.

 

[Mister Bevilaqua]

I am willing to bet the bed is slightly crooked on the frame. There's definitely a variance in these trucks with bed alignment nine times out of ten.

 

[SteveG75]

All, thanks for the reassurance. Got under truck tonight. The axle to frame seems the same on both sides. The body, not so much, LOL. I tried to measure front wheels to rear and they were within 1/8" from side to side. And it is hard to tell if the fronts where 100% the same side to side.

I have had a body shop tell me that the only vehicle with worse body alignment issues than Ford is Jeep.

It drives fine. There are no marks on the axle or anywhere else.

Honestly, if I didn't hear the scraping noise, I never would have known I hit him. USAA will pay for his damage and I will suffer a bit on my rates. So be it.

I think if I didn't have the wheel cap on, it would have been a very close near miss.