Customs 8.8 Ford in '49 Pontiac out of centre

Hey guys, it is bin a while.. but I am working now on my '49 Pontiac Streamliner and I put a 8.8 Ford Explorer in the rear, now is the driven point of my Ford 8.8 2" out of centre to hook up with my gearbox, is that too much or does not it matter that much because the universal joints will correct that.

 

It should not be a problem as long as you have driveshaft clearance.

 

I have a Ford offset differential. It doesn't matter. You'll be fine.

 

I had my 8.8 dif centered on the springs in the car, the yoke/u-joint is off about an 1-1/2" to the tunnel at the rear, no big deal to me as the circle track car we have moves that yoke/driveshaft more that you can believe. Sometime go to you-tube and look up IMCA modified drive shaft movement and watch what happens with a camera on the dif...you'll never worry about our street cars again. Start at 1.55

 

It can be too much, depending on the vertical U-joint working angles. Take some time and read through the pdf below, especially about compound angles, which is what you probably have with an offset pinion. Facts, not opinions.
https://www.waterousco.com/media/wysiwyg/pdfs/content/J3311-1-DSSP.pdf

 

That offset can be easily corrected, if needed.

 

Unless you have shortened your chassis, by about 3-feet, or have installed a lift kit, your working angles will be fine, and the offset is of no concern.

 

That 8.8 axle ran with the same offset in the Ford it came from. Apparently the Ford engineers thought that was/is acceptable.

While I understand the theoretical concept of ‘compound angles’, as a practical matter in most common applications the driveshaft/u-joint is just an angle.....singular.

If you consider the typical centered pinion and centered transmission, installed with the requisite parallel center lines.....imagine a clock face with the trans output at 12 and the pinion at 6, as viewed from the rear. Assuming the side view slope of the driveshaft is the typical configuration......a few degrees downslope from the trans to pinion.

Now, back to viewing from the rear. The trans end of the driveshaft is at the 12 o'clock position and the offset pinion is at the 5 o’clock position. Providing the driveshaft length is sufficient to keep the u-joint angles within normal working degrees, the pinion end of the driveshaft could be located any where on the clock face with no adverse consequences.

 

I agree, Ray, if the engine /trans is in the exact same location and centerline as in the A-B -E vehicles.
But, I'm thinking, with a later rear, it's probably got a newer engine / trans combo too. So now we've got to check all the angles, as indicated in the PDF above, or just roll the dice and road test it and hope for the best.

 

Yes, the parallelism of the engine/trans/rear axle needs to be verified, along with ujoint operating angles. But the wheelbase of a ‘49 Pontiac would require a long enough one piece driveshaft that with reasonable chassis ride height, ujoint operating angles should be well within normal range. The centerline parallelism is the key ingredient to ensure. Also, if the driveshaft has been altered, the ‘clocking’/‘phasing’ of the ujoint yokes is another item to verify.

 

Slightly exaggerated however 4WDs sometimes have offset F or R pinions, just like some 9" Fords. As stated it won't be an issue provided your rear axle is square in frame so that pinion centreline is parallel to centreline of car and pinion angle is set up correctly. The stock 8.8" in my DD OT 97 Exploder has given me over 410K trouble free kilometers. I've a spare 8.8" short axle and soon about to narrow another housing so pinion will be centred for a friend's sons project. 31 spline with traction-lok and discs brakes, you can't go wrong IMO.



https://therangerstation.com/tech_library/Ford-8_8-axle.shtml

 

Exactly.

 

Thanks guys for all the info, I can surely work with this.