backyard garage way of getting drive shaft angles correct

[bugsiegel]

I an mot sure how to attack this correctly. I have a t5 built and with the new bell housing the assembly is longer then the stock trans and bell. This changes angles from the output shaft to the drive shaft and may change the angle from the drive shaft to the diff.
I already know the drive shaft has to be shortened. And I understand that the U joints on each end of the drive shaft have to be equally opposed not to create stress on the U joints. Can and how do I measure this (with out professional tools)?
Drawings, photos are always a help too.
Or, if anyone is from North East NJ, maybe you might know of a shop that knows how to set these angles.

[ford38v8]

Not the right Forum for your questions. We're into mostly stock Fords here. Try the HAMB.

[Ken/Alabama]

I think you will be fine. I have installed three five speeds and never encountered a problem.

[Fibber Mcgee]

I often wondered about that. It seems a little difference would be okay,isn't the angle changing some with suspension travel?

[Mart]

Has the angle of the engine and trans relative to the ground changed? Has the angle of the axle pinion shaft relative to the ground changed?

If not then the alignment of the prop joints will be as good after as it was before. With the shorter driveshaft the UJ angle will be slightly greater but should still be still within the capability of the joints.

If in doubt, use a spirit level or other device to measure the angle of the engine and trans. Lets say its 2 deg down at the back. Then measure the angle of the pinion. Ideally it should be 2 deg up at the nose. In other words parallel.

That is what you want. With the stiff truck springs I dont think you want to wind in any preload like is sometimes recommended. (by preload I mean that in the above scenario the pinion would be set at zero or 1 degree up so it comes up to 2 degrees up when torque is applied.)

This constant referral to the hamb for anything not strictly stock is a little tiresome. He aint putting a camaro front clip on it, he's uprating the transmission. This is 2012, gas prices make overdrive transmissions a positive improvement now.

Mart.

[Bassman/NZ]

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Well said Mart. No-one redirects questions about twin carbs, or finned heads, or boring and stroking to the Hamb. Why are those modifications considered acceptable, and a T5 is not? Over on the FordBarn Model A forum there is a large and long-running thread about installing an F150 trans in a Model A. Not one single post there has said go to the Hamb.

[PeteVS]

The flat surface of the U joint flange on the transmission yoke wants to be parallel to the corresponding surface of the flange on the rear. Or, you could say that the "crankshaft centerline" and the pinion centerline should be parallel. This can be checked with a simple "angle finder" which is a protractor with a weighted pointer inside.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00939840000P
I guess that this should be done with the normal suspension height, but if your rear end doesn't rotate on its axle centerline as the suspension moves, it shouldn't matter. If you're mounting the engine / transmission on the same "crankshaft centerline" as was the original, you should be OK. If you've dropped or raised the rear of the trans, then you should rotate the rear on the spring mounts to get the flanges parallel again.

There's a driveshaft shop on 46 west bound in Clifton between AGL welding supply and the Parkway. He does all that kind of stuff on trucks and he shortened a driveshaft and torque tube for me. I was happy with the service.

[Mike51Merc]

First get the driveshaft length, phasing, and balancing correct.

Then if you need to play with the pinion angle, you can buy shims for the rear spring saddles.

[V8 Bob]

Originally Posted by bugsiegel

I an mot sure how to attack this correctly. I have a t5 built and with the new bell housing the assembly is longer then the stock trans and bell. This changes angles from the output shaft to the drive shaft and may change the angle from the drive shaft to the diff.
I already know the drive shaft has to be shortened. And I understand that the U joints on each end of the drive shaft have to be equally opposed not to create stress on the U joints. Can and how do I measure this (with out professional tools)?
Drawings, photos are always a help too.
Or, if anyone is from North East NJ, maybe you might know of a shop that knows how to set these angles.

The maximum working angle for a single cardan U-joint is 3 degrees, which equates to about 5500 maximum drive shaft RPM. So, with the vehicle at ride height, the engine/tranny angle should be within 1 degree of the pinion angle, along with working angles under 3 degrees. The actual engine angle really depends on the intake (carb angle), vehicle rake, personal preference, etc.

[blucar]

Before you attempt to set and/or check the drive-line angle you need to have the vehicle weight on the wheels so the ride height is established.
The pinion on the rear end should be 3-5 degrees up, the purpose being that under power, the torque brings the drive line into a relative straight line.
I find negative comments about a question, etc., that a person has posted to the online forums to be very counter productive.
Recently I was on a forum that is marque specific, Dodge/Plymouth.. A topic/thread was starting where-in a man posed a question regarding a comparison between a Mopar L head engine equipped vehicle and a Ford V8 flathead.
I chimed into the thread because I have a flathead Ford and a '39 Plym. I tried to be as objective as possible in comparing the two vehicles. Comparing the superior Chrysler suspension to the Ford antiquated Model T suspension. Of course I sang the praises of the Ford V8 engine in comparison to the underpowered Mopar 6.
One of the regular contributors to the forum jumped all over me, because I was writing about a Ford on a Mopar forum. I made a comment to his rant about him missing the intent of the thread, I made a comment that I thought he was a closed minded person.
My comment about him brought forth a rant that I was a "commie A-hole" that should be banned from the the Mopar forum.. The forum administrator locked the thread down to avoid any other comments....

[bugsiegel]

Mart,
Thank you for the defense. Other than a tach, an oil pressure gauge, tires and an engine job, as far as I can tell my truck is still mostly true to the condition of the original owner. including a very sloppy paint job over the cab, original wiring throughout, and terrible body work on the front fenders. Another way to say that is patina right?
The purpose for the t=5 upgrade is fuel costs and so I can better enjoy driving it every day on the long trips. Yesterday morning was 90 miles on the NJ Turnpike and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.
Someone said to me just yesterday if I was going to paint it and make it pretty. I said nope. I am more of a mechanically sound guy with less emphasis on looks. Honestly if the truck had been altered in such a way that a modern radio had been cut into the dash I most probably wouldn't have bought it. Nothing against modern radios but then the next obvious question for me would be, what else was disrupted? We've all heard the saying let the guy before you spend the money. That saying scares me some.

[Richard in Florida]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

Not the right Forum for your questions. We're into mostly stock Fords here. Try the HAMB.

That's nonsense. There are as many Ford hot rods here as there are bone stock Fords. Where does it say this forum is just for stock Fords?

[4t8v8]

Google Driveshaft Angle. You will get come excellent advice in detail on how to set it up. Worked great for me.

[paul2748]

There is 2 shops I know of in NE NJ. Universal Joint Service, 166 Rte 17 South Rutherford I have a couple of shafts made there and had no problems with them.

The other is Drive Line Service, 622 Rte 46 W, Clifton.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by Richard in Florida

That's nonsense. There are as many Ford hot rods here as there are bone stock Fords. Where does it say this forum is just for stock Fords?

No, it's not nonsense, it's the way Ryan wants it. His Forum, his rules.

[flathead4rd]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

No, it's not nonsense, it's the way Ryan wants it. His Forum, his rules.

So then maybe we should have Ryan comment on this and not you.

[Mark Slight]

Reply to Allen, (ford38v8) you are correct. Ryans rules Ryans Forum.

Mark

[dude]

We are all motor heads,can't we all just HELP one another. I hope that's what the forum is all about.

[flatjack9]

Originally Posted by ford38v8

No, it's not nonsense, it's the way Ryan wants it. His Forum, his rules.

You are 100% wrong. Read what Ryan says. He understands there will be overlap and welcomes it. Read before you speak.

[Fordors]

I believe there is strength in numbers and the more individuals that see an inquiry only benefit all of us.