Why is the wheelbase on the driver's side om my 1009 an inch longer than the pass..?

[bigginstactical]

Cross measure your frame. That's a quick way to tell if you may have an issue. That will show you if your frame has a diamond in it which is one rail is shoved back compared to the other creating a diamond shape out of all the cross members and such. Cross measuring doesn't always tell the whole story though. Sometimes it can measure fine but the frame has a banana in it which looks like one. The best way to see that is to hang gauges (essentially plumb bobs on chains attached to each frame rail with a center pin pointing down). Once you site down the truck you will see if the pins are aligned. If not you have some damage. One inch difference is quite a bit and like stated before an alignment will only mask problems not fix them if your frame is bent. Check all you door gaps and sheet metal gaps. If it is truly one inch off there will be some alignment issues with those as well. IMOP I would take it to a body shop and have the set and measure it real quick. Should only take about an hour. Best of luck!

 

[Sharecropper]

I can't imagine the tires being too large.

 

[nyoffroad]

An inch is HUGE!! All frame measurements now are in millimeters and + or - 3mm is pretty much standard but some cars now are 1mm. I would first check that wheel base again, don't try to go to the center of the hub with a tape measure just go from the wheel lip to wheel lip. I know it's not going to be 'book spec' but you don't have that anyway. If it's still short 1" then start doing some X measurements, 1" should be easy to find and that sway bar bushing is a good indicator on where to look. If it hit something hard enough to bend that axle tube an inch there's alot of other damage. I got a feeling it's a mix of things. I picked up a Blazer cheap cause no one could figure why it handled funny, turned out a previous owner had change the spring packs and didn't get the line up pin in correctly and it was off about 3/4". It's worth a look.