Need Help with Wheelbase on a Shaw modified

[Shaw202]

I have a 09 Shaw modified that I'm trying to get the correct wheelbase measured up, all the 4 link trailing arms are right where Kevin's setup book says to be at. I have measured 3 different times to confirm the wheelbase and the car shows to be trailing on the RR by 3/4 of an inch. Is there an exact place where to measure at on a Shaw? How would I need to go about fixing the wheelbase to the correct 1/4" trail? Thanks for any help!

[ryan15x]

Where are you measuring from? What bar lengths are you using? Putting the bars on 14 and 16 should put the rearend heads up.

[Shaw202]

I was measuring from the motor plate and at the bottom of the lower a frame grease fittings to the center of rearend. I was actually just told that you have to measure off the square tubing where the 4 bar brackets weld on to. I'm using the bar lengths that are in the Shaw setup book.

[ryan15x]

Go from the motor plate to double check. Without knowing the history of your particular car; it is always best to go from something you know is straight. Are your bars in the Shaw recommended location?

[Shaw202]

Yes, all the bars are in the recommended locations. When I measure from the 4 bar bracket square tubing to the rearend it is squared up. But when I measure from the motor plate or from the bottom of the lower a frame grease fittings to the center of the rearend, it shows to be 3/4 of an inch back. The car is straight never been bent. I was just curious if you can't go off the grease fittings or the motor plate measurements on a Shaw to square the rearend up. I heard some other chassis builders have this same issue with there frames.

[charcoal01]

Your motor plate should be straight in the car. If your rear end measures straight but from the lower ball joints shows rr back, the clip is probably turned. A lot of builders turn the to the left between 3/4 and an inch or more. Hope this helps.

[TeamGRT12x]

If you're good off of the square tube then you're good to go. I would trail the RR a little though, at least a 1/4".

[racing24]

when i was talking to kevin he told me to massure from the square tubing that the four bar brackets are welded to he told me on a shaw you shouldnt massure from the motorplate or the ball joints... so thats how i do mine and works great for me and yes the right side is a bit longer than the left side

[Hagen14t]

Is the common theme to trail the RR a 1/4? Or straight up?

[xxxmod]

I have a 09 Shaw modified that I'm trying to get the correct wheelbase measured up, all the 4 link trailing arms are right where Kevin's setup book says to be at. I have measured 3 different times to confirm the wheelbase and the car shows to be trailing on the RR by 3/4 of an inch. Is there an exact place where to measure at on a Shaw? How would I need to go about fixing the wheelbase to the correct 1/4" trail? Thanks for any help!

#1 do not rely on bar lengths from a book
#2 Chassis builders some times position lower a frames where they want in relation to the frame
#3 If the front of the car is turned to the left do not measure from the lower ball joints
#4 Apparently ,if you have a Shaw car the midplate is turned in relationship to the main tubes going back from the midplate
#5 Get the low down on how your chassis is really built!

[45mod]

Just set trailing arms to the length your set up manuals says, check birdcage indexing, check your length from the square tubing under your trailing mounts to either the front or back of axel tubes with a square and adjust accordingly. Your done. I would set it square and not trail rr to start out with because shaws are loose and turn well anyway.

[Dirtrunner35]

A alignment rack will tell you how square the axle is.

[TeamGRT12x]

Alignment rack will not help. Once again, the square that the 4 link mounts are welded to is the point that you use to square the car with. 1/4" To start and adjust from there. This is not rocket science.

xxxmod, you must have never owned a jig built car. Every Shaw that I have owned and or worked on, the book was correct every time.

[Dirtrunner35]

Alignment rack will not help. Once again, the square that the 4 link mounts are welded to is the point that you use to square the car with. 1/4" To start and adjust from there. This is not rocket science.

xxxmod, you must have never owned a jig built car. Every Shaw that I have owned and or worked on, the book was correct every time.

Oh, so a alignment rack won't tell you if the rear axle is square to the car ?????????? Could you tell me why ????????

[TeamGRT12x]

What are you going to square off of? The front tires?

[Dirtrunner35]

So I take it you never seen one work ? It will show , wheel base both sides, rear axle off-set left to right, rear axle thrust line, will also show if the front wheels are even or one of them more forward or backward than the other, same with the rear.

I've been blessed over the years to have one available to check things.

[TeamGRT12x]

Worked in Autobody after high school, seen plenty of them and never had a race car on an alignment rack. So a car with a turned stub, you're going to square up with the front end then right? Or are you going to input the measurements at the midplate into the system as a square point? Also remember, caster is going to play a part in your wheelbase. To correctly square a car you must use square points on the chassis, intended to be used to square the car.

Point being, it's not going to help. By the time you've loaded the car up and hassled with a rack, you could have had it done with a tape measure and common sense.

[1Blacksheep]

Does Shaw measure and scale with driver IN or OUT ?

[TeamGRT12x]

Out of car

[stock car driver]

So I take it you never seen one work ? It will show , wheel base both sides, rear axle off-set left to right, rear axle thrust line, will also show if the front wheels are even or one of them more forward or backward than the other, same with the rear.

I've been blessed over the years to have one available to check things.

Theres nothing to check with a alignment rack on a racing chassis that has been built with the stub turned and not Square to start with.

[Dirtrunner35]

Worked in Autobody after high school, seen plenty of them and never had a race car on an alignment rack. So a car with a turned stub, you're going to square up with the front end then right? Or are you going to input the measurements at the midplate into the system as a square point? Also remember, caster is going to play a part in your wheelbase. To correctly square a car you must use square points on the chassis, intended to be used to square the car.

Point being, it's not going to help. By the time you've loaded the car up and hassled with a rack, you could have had it done with a tape measure and common sense.

No input needed, my clips were all metric so I pick a 78-87 metric car on the machine. That's the base, then you look at the numbers to see where everything is. It will show by the measurements if the front clip is turned. I don't look at wheel base just in case the clip is turned, 0 thrust line no matter what the car means the axle is square to the chassis.

It's just another way to check it, even if you have never used one. Also I scale mine on the rack and jump in the car to see how much all the measurements change if any. So it does help.

[Dirtrunner35]

Theres nothing to check with a alignment rack on a racing chassis that has been built with the stub turned and not Square to start with.

So you have used one then ?

[stock car driver]

So you have used one then ?

wtf are you retarded?

[Dirtrunner35]

wtf are you retarded?

Wow, I like when someone doesn't agree with someone they get really angry.

[powerslide]

wtf are you retarded?

Jeff is not a man of his word... this is a message i got on facebook after our last conversation on 4m

"hey this is stock car driver

Im taking your advice, Ive removed 100 of my posts from 4 m so far. Ill spend this weeks spare time deleting them all till they are gone, thanks for being such a jealous ball baby bitch and pointing out how much of my time i waste on there..

Im going to stop thanks to you. this summer Ill use my rv, bass boat and jeepster more often.

thanks again"


Jeff have a change of heart? just cant go keep that diarea mouth shut? The guy was trying to have a conversation with you and this is your response. Please do us all a favor and keep your word from your message.

[TeamGRT12x]

I've learned you can't help people that don't want to help themselves. A frame rack is not going to help square your race car, end of story. If you can't correctly use a tape measure you shouldn't be racing in the first place.

[Dirtrunner35]

No not end of story, lol. A lot more work but you could square a chassis with a frame rack if you put it on a rack after you just had it built and make your own points for the targets. Then if you thought it was bent you could check it. Like I said, a lot of work and most people wouldn't have access to one.

I check all the time with an alignment rack crashed cars, ( body shop ) for the rear axle being bent, rear toe, camber and thrust line of the axle. I have access to one and have always done it like this.

[stock car driver]

Wow, I like when someone doesn't agree with someone they get really angry.

U are obviously retarded, to ask a guy a question he just answered for you in his previous post, lol.

[DaveBauerSS6]

No input needed, my clips were all metric so I pick a 78-87 metric car on the machine. That's the base, then you look at the numbers to see where everything is. It will show by the measurements if the front clip is turned. I don't look at wheel base just in case the clip is turned, 0 thrust line no matter what the car means the axle is square to the chassis.

It's just another way to check it, even if you have never used one. Also I scale mine on the rack and jump in the car to see how much all the measurements change if any. So it does help.

Dirtrunner A couple questions please...

Do you run a turned clip modified?

When you align the chassis, do you do it off the front clip?

If you align off the front clip, how do you figure in the skewed frame,,, input the skewed numbers??

Is the rearend square with the frame or the front clip according to the machine.

Is the 0 thrust line thru the front clip or the main frame??

I went to a automotive school 36 years ago and forgot how to run one; I use a tape measure now.

[Dirtrunner35]

U are obviously retarded, to ask a guy a question he just answered for you in his previous post, lol.

No jeff I'm not retarded thanks. I don't see my question answered from you unless your talking about someone else.

[Dirtrunner35]

Dirtrunner A couple questions please...

Do you run a turned clip modified? -- -

When you align the chassis, do you do it off the front clip?

If you align off the front clip, how do you figure in the skewed frame,,, input the skewed numbers??

Is the rear end square with the frame or the front clip according to the machine.

Is the 0 thrust line thru the front clip or the main frame??

I went to a automotive school 36 years ago and forgot how to run one; I use a tape measure now.
Do you run a turned clip modified? -- -( My old car was yes. I have a o6 pierce now, I heard the front clip is turned but I'm not sure yet, haven't checked it yet.)

When you align the chassis, do you do it off the front clip? ( The thrust line is off the rear axle, no matter where the front clip is turned the thrust line stays with the rear axle. Like a old fire engine with rear steer, the rear axle goes to the right and thrust line goes to the right.)

If you align off the front clip, how do you figure in the skewed frame,,, input the skewed numbers??

Is the rear end square with the frame or the front clip according to the machine. The frame.

Is the 0 thrust line thru the front clip or the main frame?? (The thrust line is where the axle is pointed, so if the thrust line is straight threw the chassis, the axle is squared under the chassis.)

The first alignment rack I used was a bishmen I think, and a lite o line. An alignment rack is just another way to help do this.

[Dirtrunner35]

ok, so you have tried to align one with a machine ?

[really?]

shucks now my rear end is not square, hmmm whats all these little lites and why does it keep saying recalibrate. oh well, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A TAPE ,A SQUARE ,AND A PLUM BOB LOLL!

[Dirtrunner35]

I checked my front end and the stub is turned 3/4 inch

[1Blacksheep]

I checked my front end and the stub is turned 3/4 inch

OK thanks, I've been wrong before. I think Mine measures a little different.

[Dirtrunner35]

shucks now my rear end is not square, hmmm whats all these little lites and why does it keep saying recalibrate. oh well, DOES ANYBODY HAVE A TAPE ,A SQUARE ,AND A PLUM BOB LOLL!

lol lol what little lights