I noticed when I was changing the pivot bearings that to get the shock correctly lined up with the rear mounts I had to set the swingarm with a couple more mm clearance from the base of the downtube on the drive side than the non drive side.

I presume it’s always been like this and I haven’t looked at it – there is nothing wrong with the shock (3 yrs old and just has a clean bill of health on annual trip to Mojo, so no twists/wear etc in there, or in the bushings) or any noticeable misalignement when the wheel is in. Usual manufacturing tolerance or something to investigate ?

I had something similar on a Cannondale Prophet, which then meant there was a lot of sideways/twisting force on the shock. I noticed it when I started going through a shock mount bushing every ride. It was warrantied by Cannondale, although I’m not sure exactly what had happened to it as they never said.

mmmmm Just set equal either side of the seat tube
Mine too is a 2008 frame.

hmmmm, wonder why it is like that. I’ve had it from new and it’s not been ridden that hard and never had a big crash

Mine was always off to one side and didn’t chew up the shock. I assumed it was deliberate.

my sub5 was the same

just checked the alignment with a length of string round headtube and through the dropouts – seat tube pefectly central – must just be Orange welding 🙂