Yes i have searched but as yet not got a definitive answer on maximum liveable driveshaft angle. An 8" step in the rear of the model A frame transverse spring . Tail shaft 2 degrees up pinion 2.2 down , driveshaft down from rear to front 9.3 degrees . tailshaft is 10 1/2' from ground ,pinion is 15" from ground. Drive shaft is 27 3/4" long centre to centre. U joint. U joints do appear to bind.
Point the tailshaft up towards the pinion, Not down away from pinion . At least level them both at Zero. Or point them at each other more than 2* you don't have a choice really.
I have an easy way to do it. I have a magnetic angle finder I put on the tailshaft and set at zero. Then I stick it to the pinion input. Then I dial my pinion angle until it hits zero by adjusting bars, adding shims or however you need to change the angle based on your suspension type. That way they are in correct alignment. Being able to zero my gauge just means I don't have to do math or remember numbers. Whatever the tailshaft is, you want the pinion to match degree wise but in the opposite direction. In your case, tailshaft 2* up, you pinion should be 2* down. This all needs to be done at ride height with the suspension loaded. SPark
Spicer recommends a maximum of 3 degrees u-joint angle. They have this neat calculator on their web site. Plugging in your values your angles are way off. http://spicerparts.com/calculators/driveline-operating-angle-calculator
In the reply column in almost every post is the request for pictures to help visualize the problem when people ask for advise. The number one problem people seem to have is that you need the full weight of the on the suspension in order to set your pinion angles properly. There are ways to simulate this if your building a frame up project. The two things I'm having trouble with is why is your pinion 5" higher than your transmission output shaft and why such a short drive shaft? I'm building a bobber truck based on a 32 ford frame wheelbase with a SBC, 200 4R tranny and Ford 9" and my driveshaft is about 46" long.
750x16 rears 550x16 fronts 8" step in the rear. Motor set level , kept motor low enough to get 8" ground clearance at sump and so as the transmission did not intrude into the floor too much. rear set at expected ride height. Driveshaft bind is a long way off yet.
im thinking that you should start the thread over then. Which is it?? They bind or not? Is the Trans level (zero) or is 2* up. Or did you move it since the first post?
I'd set it up like this- Everything sloped up to the rear You'd have 7 working angles both equal and you'd have 50% life expectancy on your u joints. It that is not acceptable or problematic change out the rear for one with a lower pinion instead of the center pinion banjo.
Neat toy, Be careful with the slope orientation. I'm pretty sure the frame of reference, as in "up/down to the rear" for the output shaft and driveshaft does not magically change to "up/down to the front". That reference of "to the rear" must remain constant. The overly repeated phrase "Trans 3 down and pinion 3 up" forgets this very very important part. Angle finder on Trans out put shaft 3 down to the rear, now turn yourself around and turn the angle finder around and place it on the pinion at 3" up to the front. If you'd place the angle finder's magnet on the balancer and on the pinion shaft you'd want the exact same reading if you wanted the shafts parallel
Pictures are important to understanding, worth 1000 words I absolutely hate that image. It's almost always posted on every pinion angle thread across the Internet . I wish I could obliterate and delete it from the Internet. Here's why - it's visual does not match its description. The lower portion clearly depicts a level engine and a level pinion but states otherwise in the description. If it were drawn as stated it would be showing a preposterous drive line. Looking to this image for understanding will surely lead to further confusion. A math wizard for sure as well. 3-0 not -3, and 2+3 not -5. Surely an idiot without possession of reason is responsible for this image, and it's used over and over and over help others understand. I hate the image.
If you have the ride hight set correctly in the two pictures above, you will be bottoming out on the frame rails before you know it. It looks like you have very little travel, and if you use heavy spring rates to control the bounce, you will have a hard ride for sure. You can angle the pinion down to match the angle of tailshaft, it doesn't have to be pointing up. You still want the working angles of the u-joint to be around 3*, and it doesn't matter if one is pointing up and the other is down, what matters is that they are both equal and within the ideal 3* range. Look at any modern front wheel drive cars steering column or heavy truck, the gear box is never inline with the steering column and very seldom is one up one down. The u-joint doesn't know what direction the pinion is pointing, all it needs to work right is to match the front working angle, to be phased right, to be inline front to back looking down from the top, and to be in the ideal working angle ( 3 degrees ). Another option is a double cardan u-joint.
Yes I realise we have little or no travel at present ,it was originally set up with 3" of travel but the 35/36 rear spring has settled 1" 3/4 over a few months just sitting . I did not think that was possible but there you go.
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