driveshaft/pinion angle question...pics inside.

swapping in a rear d44 into my 93 and so am welding on new leaf perches and setting my pinion angle. Now everything that I have found says to make the pinion angle about 2 degrees less then the driveshaft angle...similar to the pics by the second poster on this thread http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=907888&highlight=setting+pinion+angle

Now my problem is the angle of the double cardan as it seems to be really really close to touching the bottom part of the shaft, as shown in the attached pictures. This is when my driveshaft is at the SAME angle as the pinion angle. So when I lower the pinion angle down (2 degrees to account for axle wrap) this space will be even closer. Is this ok...how much is it going to move...enough to rub?

This is on a PORC sye and Tom Woods shaft...running about 4-4.5" of lift by the way. Thanks guys.

Here is a better question and better test for now.

How hard do you wheel? Do you JUMP your jeep?

If you think you wheel hard, then jack up the jeep and support it by the (cough cough) Frame. Check to see if you can roll your driveshaft through at full droup. If you can't, then you can expect to break it if you wheel it hard. If it can roll through fine then set the pinion angle to 2 degrees and enjoy.

Remember too...If it is really close at full droup, a jump may flex it a bit farther and break it too.

Set it up so that the pinion is pointed at the SYE at ride height. With the amount of lift you have, the pinion is going to be rotating up. That will help with vibrations and also give your Cardan better clearance. Good luck.