pinion angle help

[santino2010]

helloo all
my project is a 53 ford customline
and i am swapping a 200 inline 6 on it,
now i am trying to find the pinion angle
so far a have tried to level the engine out and i got a reading of -3.25 degrees on the tailshaft i ended up getting a reading of -6.50 on the end of the driveline and i had to cut through the tunnel so i can get clearance without the driveline hitting
is this a somewhat ball park a decent measurement to avoid vibration??
my suspension is stock

[cadillac512]

Check this link:


https://classicautoadvisors.com/2021...-is-important/


Terry

[miker98038]

I understand pinion angle, but don’t quite understand how you got from 3.25 to 6.25.

I like to level the engine based on the carb pad on the engine. A lot of them didn’t have the engine level originally, but the manifold allowed the carb to be level.

The link above is a good one. Weren’t those cars available with an earlier six?

[santino2010]

Ok got it,
So if the driveline is straight as a arrow that's good aswell?
I was told that the driveline has to have some angle to it
I'm not sure if I understand the link

[santino2010]

Yes they did offer the 6 but originally it had a 239 flathead
But I downsized because the flathead was junk
So I had a 200 cu doner

[fordor41]

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Originally Posted by santino2010

Ok got it,
So if the driveline is straight as a arrow that's good aswell?
I was told that the driveline has to have some angle to it
I'm not sure if I understand the link

never have the drive shaft in line between trans and pinion. It will vibrate.

[santino2010]

Yes I agree but the straightest I can get my transmission shaft is at -3.25 degrees if I go higher to get in the positive position the driveline will rub on the tunnel
What degrees should I get on the end of the rear axle??

[Flathead Fever]

From what I've learned building hot rods ideally you want a one-degree angle to cause the u-joints needle bearings to rotate to prevent u-joint wear. You do not want it perfectly straight. The engine does not need to be perfectly level, you can lower the back of it a little bit as long as it doesn't drastically change the fuel level in the carbs' float bowl. Whatever angle you have at the transmissions' u-joint you want the opposite angle at the pinions' u-joints to cancel it out. If you have 3.25 degrees at the trans u-joint from the driveshaft sloping down, you will want 3.25 degrees of angle at the pinion u-joint from the driveshaft sloping up hill. They have angled shims that go between the leaf springs and the rear end pads to change the angle. Post some photos so we can see what is going on.

[santino2010]

thanks for this information
i am going as im learning , so as of right now the engine is angled downward
at about the 3.25 mark, i cant get it anymore higher due to the tunnel of the driveshaft it will hit it, so i cut the tunnel out to extend it out a little more if i need to.

[santino2010]

i will post some photos tomorrow so you can see exactly is going on,
thank you flathead fever

[cadillac512]

Originally Posted by santino2010

thanks for this information
i am going as im learning , so as of right now the engine is angled downward
at about the 3.25 mark, i cant get it anymore higher due to the tunnel of the driveshaft it will hit it, so i cut the tunnel out to extend it out a little more if i need to.

A 3-4 degree angle of the engine is perfectly normal, and usually makes the carburetor approx level. At that angle, the trans will slope down. What the pinion needs to do is slope upward at the same angle,not necessarily pointing straight at the trans,parallel to it...even if the driveshaft is not pointing "straight" between pinion and trans, it will be just fine and run smooth.

[cadillac512]

Here's the pic of proper angles.

[ventport]

The transmission output shaft and the pinion shaft should be parallel but not in line. That makes the U joints work so the needles don't get flat spots on them from not rotating.

[santino2010]

I have some photos on how my set up is looking

[santino2010]

Picture # 7
The angle is at 3.45 degrees
Picture # 4 is at 3.45

[Ford blue blood]

The angle on the drive shaft means nothing. The angles on the tail shaft and on the rear flange are what counts. They look to be near perfect.

[40cpe]

That piece of tubing in the picture at the rear end could be misleading. Try taking the alemite out of the ujoint and take a reading on that flat surface.

[santino2010]

What flat surface would be best you think?

[40cpe]

Originally Posted by santino2010

What flat surface would be best you think?

I was thinking to use the surface of the u joint where the alemite is after you remove the alemite

[santino2010]

Are you referring to where the grease fitting is like on that spot?
Idk if that's where you are talking

[40cpe]

Yes, alemite = grease fitting

[ventport]

Zerk fittings replaced Alemite fittings on almost all makes by 1934. Alemite is old school for grease fitting.

[santino2010]

Ok got it I'll see if I can get a flat spot there but It doesn't look flat it sort of looks round

[santino2010]

It doesn't look like a flat area on where the grease fitting is

[fordor41]

I just checked angles on our '60. I removed the D.S. and found a piece of pipe that just fit the U-joint recess of the pinion yoke, Turned the yoke to the vertical position and that gave me a true vertical surface to place my angle finder