Hot Rods Rear Axle Position

I’m about to weld coilover lower brackets and radius rod brackets on my rear axle. I’m looking for suggestions on how to position the axle. I know where the axle needs to be relative to the frame in all planes except rotation around the axle shafts. Should the differential yoke be pointed directly at the end of the transmission or maybe I should keep it level to the ground?? Pointing the differential at the transmission causes it to be rotated about 10 degrees up at the front. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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The car is a ’54 Chrysler hemi powered ’27 T on a home made frame which is “Zed” front and rear. The rear axle is a ’57 Ford 9”. I have the engine and transmission mounted in position in the frame. I currently have a rigid member bolted in a direct line between the transmission yoke and the differential yoke. The driveshaft will be approximately 32 inches.<o></o>
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Thanks for any help<o></o>
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Kip <o></o>

 

Ideally your transmission should be around 3 degrees down and your yolk should be around 3 degrees up.

I don't know how you ended up with 10 degrees, that's pretty steep. I'd put the chassis at ride height and put your angle finder on the flat surface of the manifold (where the carb attaches) and see if it's level.

If it's way off I'd start over.

 

This is the answer... pinion angle needs to be equal and opposite of the trans yoke. 3 degrees is ideal.

 

Three degress is what is "typical"........the actual angle needed may be three degrees or something else. It depends on the centerline of the engine/trans.

There have been exhaustive discussions on this topic, a search will turn up more threads than you will want to read.

Basically, you need an angle finder. Determine what the angle is through the centerline of engine/trans.........that MAY be three degrees...but if it's four or two, so be it. Usually that will be with the engine higher at the front, the trans output shaft 'downhill'.

Now, you set the pinion angle (centerline through the pinion shaft) to the same angle as the engine/trans........whatever degree that is. If the front of the engine is higher as mentioned above (and I can't imagine it would not be) set the pinion shaft the same way, up at the front (yoke end) the same number of degrees.

Now, some folks will (try to) tell you the pinion should be one or two degrees LOWER than the engine/trans angle. That is ONLY useful, (if even then) for a vehicle that is going to be drag raced often, because on initial extreme acceleration the pinion rises. The therory being, the pinion angle will be "right" while accelerating.

In my opinion, that is not needed for a street driven car with proper suspension setup.

Ray

 

^^^This.

 

X3!