I have a couple questions about axel rap. Will lowering blocks help cause axel rap? Also if my transmission is 3 degrees down does my rear pinion need to be 3 degrees pointing up? The car is a 1965 ford falcon with a sbf and toploader 4-speed.Any help would be appreciated .
I had a '64 Nova with 2" lowering blocks, monoleaf springs and lakewood slapper bars that ran a best of 11.81 with an automatic and I never had any wheel hop issues with street tires or with slicks. My pinion angle was set at 4 degrees down.
Yes, more torque on the springs. Like using a longer-handled wrench for more leverage. The lowering block is the "handle". Yes on the drivetrain angle.
You can also use a pinion snubber if there is no room for traction bars after you use lowering blocks. Lowering blocks give more leverage and increase axle wrap. That is a fact. There are quite a few fixes for the problem.
my falcon has 275/60/15 tires , a healthy tunnelramed sbf, 3.89 trac-loc and a 4-speed. I had the pinion 4degrees down and with traction masters. My leaf springs were bent slightly upwards toward the front eye. I was going to try my new springs with clamped leaves and 1960's style a/fx traction bars. I have had people tell me the pinion should point down to help with traction. I'm sorry I should have posted this first.
I guess I should have just said, "Not if you use traction bars". Ive learned that statements like that usually bring forth some sort of challenge, so I just offered up some real world experience instead.
sorry i wasnt trying to come off as a jag i know that my f150 has a severe wheel hop issue, but its a 4x4 with a 3 inch block in between the axle and the spring i am in the process of making tom cal tech type bars for mine tk
For leaf spring cars that you mainly run on the strip then the pinion angle should be about 2-3* lower than the trans angle. On a street car at ride height the pinion should be pointing up at the same angle up as the trans is pointing down, car fully loaded. For drag racing you get a bit of axle wrap and that twists the pinion up towards the trany at about the same angle as the trany points down(giving added traction), even with bolt on traction bars as there is a bit of springing action in the bars. Link suspensions are a different thing.
my buddy runs a 486 bbc torque monster in a 63 falcon ranchero. he runs superstock springs with a set of slapper bars. rubber snubber sits a half inch from the frame just ahead of the front spring mount. his wheel hop is all gone. he keeps his pinion angle the same as his tranny. he has tried many other combos, but this does the job.