by Lyrad Thu Jan 17, 2013 5:41 pmI think you should be setting the pinion agle when your van seats at the ride height you want. My thoughts only. Someone here will have an answer for you.
+5
Gothboy
Big W
Stoopid john
Space Truckin
dodge man
9 posters
front axle flip
Lyrad- Number of posts : 277
Location : St.Albert, Alberta
Registration date : 2011-01-20
Digz- Number of posts : 3794
Location : United States Six Lakes MI
Registration date : 2008-05-17
That's one good thing about straight axles. You can put them up in the air at ride height easily. Just make sure your wheel centers are the same height off the ground. If you are rotating the rear axle to get your pinion angle you will have to block the body in the rear so you can relieve the pressure enough to turn it, but it won't take much. JM2C
should add that's if your front and rear tires are the same diameter..lol
should add that's if your front and rear tires are the same diameter..lol
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
NO MATER IF THE VAN IS SITTING ON THE WINDSHIELD I'M TAKEING MEASUREMENTS BETWEEN THE TRANS SEAL AND THE REAR END YOKE, I THOUGHT THAT AS LONG AS THE REAR YOKE IS 2 TO 5 DEGREES LOWER THAN THE TRANS SEAL THAT WOULD WORK ? IS THIS RIGHT?
Digz- Number of posts : 3794
Location : United States Six Lakes MI
Registration date : 2008-05-17
We are just saying a level line for reference for an angle finder( the tool in Rods diagrams)helps make things easier. Yes you are right !! Given the the trans yoke and the axle yoke are at matching angles.
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
i gave up on the axle flip, so i removed spring leafs, i know the angle is way off the rear end is pointing way up and the trany is pointing down even when all weight is on the rear springs, i have my floor jack under the center section of the rear end,the front tires on on the ground, i'll lower the rear so the van is sitting level, i think that should give me a good reading on the angles, chim in if anyone knows any beter way, this is my first time doing this, thanks for any help,
Digz- Number of posts : 3794
Location : United States Six Lakes MI
Registration date : 2008-05-17
Slowflapper ran into the issue of the rear shackles being installed incorrectly. This forced the pinion angle up. I don't have any pics for reference on that.
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
i remember last summer when i took it apart the old shim just crumbled to pieces so i know there was a shim but who knows what size as it looks i'll need a 4 or5 degree shim but i'll know more after i remove the drive shaft today and put the gauge on it,
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
dodge man wrote:ok i read the pinion angles, the trans. is 3 degrees pointing down and the rear end yoke is 3 degrees pointing up, so i guess ineed a 2 degree shim according to this chart ? do you think i'm right ?RodStRace wrote:You want the axle to be 2-5 degrees down from the trans. This allows the axle to lift during acceleration and even out.
The offset means that the needle bearings inside the U-joints move a wider area, not just slightly twist back and forth. This spreads the load, wear and lube.
Just remember that it is the angle relation of the trans and axle, not the ground. In the drawing below, they give examples of a 4 link and a ladder bar.
You want to use the ladder bar settings. Measure your angle on the trans (left column). Then measure the axle angle (middle column). What you want is to angle the axle down slightly (the angle in the third column).
i'm adjusting my angle now, does it matter that i have the rear of the van raised on jack stands much higher then the front while i adjust the pinion angle, since my mesurements are from the trans seal and the rear end yoke?
Digz- Number of posts : 3794
Location : United States Six Lakes MI
Registration date : 2008-05-17
I think I am right in saying, .If your trans mission yoke is farther off the ground than the RA yoke. Put your driveshaft in and drive it. It's where it is supposed to be.
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
thanks digz, i'm all confused i ordered 2 degree shims i'm thinking thats probably what was in it from the factory,
Digz- Number of posts : 3794
Location : United States Six Lakes MI
Registration date : 2008-05-17
Here is a simple diagram that will go with rods schematics for reference.
Image 2 is more or less what you are after.
Image 2 is more or less what you are after.
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
yeah thats what i have the second one down, there both the same degree angle, so i'm thinking with a 2 degree shim i'll have the rear pinion just a little lower, great for exceloration, thanks so much,
Wheelie- Number of posts : 322
Location : Plano, TX
Registration date : 2013-02-22
I dont know about pic 1 but from my experience U joints can not be used straight parallel or they will not last. The second picture is correct where the u joints are offset at same angles on the fact that if the trans output is 3 degree down then the diff is 3 degrees up. For street driven cars you want no morethan 1-4 degrees from my experience. Some drag racers with rear leaf set ups may run some funky pinion angles because the pinion is trying to climb the ring gear under hard accelerations and with leafs they "wrap up". Unless your drag racing it or having vibration issues then leave the stock setting alone. Not trying to disagree just from experience 
RodStRace- Number of posts : 3046
Location : Chino Valley
Registration date : 2010-01-21
Yup, Digz and Wheelie have got it.
Angles similar, with the pinion down a bit.
Completely straight like #1 will wear out quickly.
The needles in the U-joints don't move, causing them to seat in place.
#2 will cause the needles to work around, spreading the load and lube. This is what you want.
#3 is pinion too far down. Bad.
#4 is what happens when the pinion is up, like when the rear shackles are flipped. The spring shackles should go from the mount up to the spring, not from the mount down to the spring.
Angles similar, with the pinion down a bit.
Completely straight like #1 will wear out quickly.
The needles in the U-joints don't move, causing them to seat in place.
#2 will cause the needles to work around, spreading the load and lube. This is what you want.
#3 is pinion too far down. Bad.
#4 is what happens when the pinion is up, like when the rear shackles are flipped. The spring shackles should go from the mount up to the spring, not from the mount down to the spring.
dodge man- Number of posts : 2036
Location : ohio
Registration date : 2012-08-08
the second one down is what i have now, i thank all you guys for the help, it took me a while but i figured out what angle it should be,
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take it from lessons learned always try to keep u-joint angles low 14* is agood rule of thumb look at lowered trucks you will is almost no pinion angle up it maybe dowh infact!big sky high 4X4's trans is dropped and pinion raised just for driveshaft u-joint angle to little or to much u-joint angle wears out the joint in no time trust me you don't want to be dropping the driveshaft at hiway speed very big mess
