Pinion angle

Any care to shed any light on what exactly I need to be aware of as it relates to pinion angle? (My) Logic tells me drawing a straight line from the ****** output through the centerline of the pinion would make for a driveline that would give the least drag on the components.

The wrench in the works is a local drunk (he knows who he is) who told me to put a little angle to the drive shaft so the u joints were actually not straight because some weirdness can happen.

I guess I'm looking for a 101 on pinion angle?

Gr***y ****!
-Sven

 

This software would help: http://www.etcracingprograms.com/images/software/4linkwiz/4link.htm

and you can also take a look at http://www.jerrybickel.com/

Dave
http://www.roadsters.com/

 

Well, I'm not a local, but I am a drunk! And I know I'm not an alcoholic because they go to meetings!

Sounds like your drunk was close though...

You do NOT want to "point" the output shaft of the ****** at the pinion. If you point them at each other, the rollers in the u-joints won't work & you'll develop vibration in a hurry & destroy the u-joints.

You want the centerline of the engine crank/transmission output shaft to be parallel with the centerline of the pinion. Simple as that.

You want to set your engine/transmission in place the way you want it & then use an angle finder on the output shaft of the trans & figure it out from there. Set up your pinion angle to be parallel.

Hope this makes sense!

 

put a angle gage on a flat part of the tailshaft( End without a seal on it) & acroos the flats where the u-bolts go on the yoke, they have to be within 3 degrees of each other.
JimV

 

Here is a link that makes it easy (Pics). Your drunk buddy wasn't to far off!


http://www.iedls.com/ptsetup.html

 

It had always been told to me that you want the pinion to be x number of degrees lower (pinion pointed down) than parallel with the output shaft of the transmission at ride height, with the idea being that under power the housing will rotate and bring them to parallel.

I was told that a leaf spring car needs as much as a -5 degree pinion angle, factory 4 link -4 degrees, ladder bars -3 degrees, and a real (racing) 4 link needs -1 or -2 degrees.