xcm
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Southern Oregon
post pics of you're driveline angles, so someone can recommend how much angle you need in your degree shims.
-
Welcome to the new NAXJA Forum! If your password does not work, please use "Forgot your password?" link on the log-in page. Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] if we can provide any assistance.
Getting parts together for a lift, questions about that's included
- Thread starter hotrod6657
- Start date
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
Here are the pictures, I just took them from the TC back, didn't bother with the front but if anyone wants them I'll get them.
TC side:
Diff side:
Both:
TC side:
Diff side:
Both:
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
By the way, is it normal for the shaft coming out of the TC to look like it's slanted like that? Maybe it's the ground I'm parked on or something but it looks goofy. There's no play in it or the drive shaft when you try and move it by hand. I haven't run the engine with the wheels off the ground to see if it's wobbling but I feel like it would be vibrating much more violently if it was.
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
I'm going to get an angle finder tomorrow so I can actually get the measurements. Until then let me give a bit more thorough description of the symptoms.
When I take off and though most of the speed range i can feel a faint vibration. It isn't very noticeable under harder acceleration, but it could just be hidden by the vibrations of the engine. I don't really feel it through the steering wheel, but through the whole vehicle and the pedal. That isn't what worries me, the second part is what needs fixed for sure. When I let off the gas a bit so I am barely applying it I get a sound almost like I just hit a little rumble strip, but different. If I take my foot all the way off it usually stops but if i put the pedal down a little it happens again.
If I coast down a hill and bump the shifter up to neutral the noise stays almost constantly.
Those are pretty much the symptoms. I tightened the U-bolts on the axle very well, but I'll continue to recheck them.
I know my pictures are pretty much useless without the angles, but my untrained eye thinks the pinion could stand to be rotated up, towards the floorboard since I believe the two are supposed to be close to one another... I'll see if the angle finder confirms this and try to figure out what shims I should get.
On that note, anyone have a trick for measuring the pinion angle? the drive shaft is simple, just stick the thing on there. but there isn't really room on the pinion. Maybe I can measure something perpendicular to it and take it's complement to get the angle.
When I take off and though most of the speed range i can feel a faint vibration. It isn't very noticeable under harder acceleration, but it could just be hidden by the vibrations of the engine. I don't really feel it through the steering wheel, but through the whole vehicle and the pedal. That isn't what worries me, the second part is what needs fixed for sure. When I let off the gas a bit so I am barely applying it I get a sound almost like I just hit a little rumble strip, but different. If I take my foot all the way off it usually stops but if i put the pedal down a little it happens again.
If I coast down a hill and bump the shifter up to neutral the noise stays almost constantly.
Those are pretty much the symptoms. I tightened the U-bolts on the axle very well, but I'll continue to recheck them.
I know my pictures are pretty much useless without the angles, but my untrained eye thinks the pinion could stand to be rotated up, towards the floorboard since I believe the two are supposed to be close to one another... I'll see if the angle finder confirms this and try to figure out what shims I should get.
On that note, anyone have a trick for measuring the pinion angle? the drive shaft is simple, just stick the thing on there. but there isn't really room on the pinion. Maybe I can measure something perpendicular to it and take it's complement to get the angle.
RCP Phx
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix,Az
Id be very concerned about length,looks like you dont have much spline engagement left!
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
I just didn't really think that would be an issue with a 2 inch lift.
I'll be honest, I didn't look too carefully at the drive lines before the lift, but my understanding of a 2 inch lift was that the drive line being too short shouldn't be an issue.
I'll be honest, I didn't look too carefully at the drive lines before the lift, but my understanding of a 2 inch lift was that the drive line being too short shouldn't be an issue.
RCP Phx
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Phoenix,Az
Its because you have a 97+! For the angles,set the angle finder on the valve cover(thats your output shaft angle) and on the flat spot on either side of the diff cover(that will be 90* out from your pinion angle).
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
It's actually a 96 but I know what you mean. That was the first year that's not very lift friendly I believe. I'll try to get the angles like that later this afternoon and see what we can come up with.
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
Okay, got the angles.
The shaft coming out of the TC look to be about 6*, but a more accurate measurement might be the valve cover, which the angle finder says is between 4.5* and 5*.
The drive shaft itself is at 17* (by far the easiest one to check...)
the Pinion is at about 7*. This was tough to measure but I followed RCP Phx's suggestion and used the flat spots next to the diff cover and got 83*, so the complement would be 7*.
I'm going to do some geometry and see if I can't figure out how much shim will bring the pinion down to about 1* below the output shaft (I think that's what's desired)
Any suggestions from here while I play around with 7th grade math :sure:?
The shaft coming out of the TC look to be about 6*, but a more accurate measurement might be the valve cover, which the angle finder says is between 4.5* and 5*.
The drive shaft itself is at 17* (by far the easiest one to check...)
the Pinion is at about 7*. This was tough to measure but I followed RCP Phx's suggestion and used the flat spots next to the diff cover and got 83*, so the complement would be 7*.
I'm going to do some geometry and see if I can't figure out how much shim will bring the pinion down to about 1* below the output shaft (I think that's what's desired)
Any suggestions from here while I play around with 7th grade math :sure:?
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
So it looks like if I put shims in so the pinion angle gets reduced to 5* (2* shims with the fat part in the rear) I will have changed the output shaft to about 6*.
That would make the pinion one degree lower than the output shaft, does that sound correct/better?
...
I'm doing a little more reading and it seems like people are saying that the pinion should be pointed down slightly... Is that correct because if so how did mine get to be pointed up so much lol?
That would make the pinion one degree lower than the output shaft, does that sound correct/better?
...
I'm doing a little more reading and it seems like people are saying that the pinion should be pointed down slightly... Is that correct because if so how did mine get to be pointed up so much lol?
Last edited:
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
Here is a sketch of the angles. I'm not really sure which ones people are talking about when they reference their angles since the ones I get referencing the ground are pretty small.
I marked the angles between the driveshaft and the TC and Pinion as well.
As it sits now I have about 2 degrees less angle between the driveshaft and the pinion than the TC. The pinion is pointing up.
(The front of the image is the TC...)
I think my drawing accurately depicts the situation here... The gray dimensions are ones I didn't add, but measured from the picture and the lengths of the lines shouldn't matter since all they have to do is remain constant when the angle changes. On the other hand I could be completely wrong lol...
I marked the angles between the driveshaft and the TC and Pinion as well.
As it sits now I have about 2 degrees less angle between the driveshaft and the pinion than the TC. The pinion is pointing up.
(The front of the image is the TC...)
I think my drawing accurately depicts the situation here... The gray dimensions are ones I didn't add, but measured from the picture and the lengths of the lines shouldn't matter since all they have to do is remain constant when the angle changes. On the other hand I could be completely wrong lol...
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
So I loaded some bricks in the back yesterday and the grinding noise seems to be gone. At this point I'm thinking I just need to give these aal's some time to break in.
The vibration I'm starting to think is more toe than anything since I did measure that and found it's a bit off. I'll attempt to adjust this myself but it might just be easier for me to take it somewhere.
The vibration I'm starting to think is more toe than anything since I did measure that and found it's a bit off. I'll attempt to adjust this myself but it might just be easier for me to take it somewhere.
The vibes are definitely coming from your driveline.
By adding weight to the back, you "lessened" the angle. The AAL may or may not settle.
Here are a couple of links on how to measure the height.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1012617&highlight=measure+stock+height
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1001797&highlight=measure+stock+height
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=912893
It looks like the rear is higher than the front.
The AALs you bought are RE 2.5" and RE is known for netting higher lifts than what they are advertised. So, the rear may be lifted 3". If that's the case, you can remove the second stock leaf and see where that puts you.
E
By adding weight to the back, you "lessened" the angle. The AAL may or may not settle.
Here are a couple of links on how to measure the height.
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1012617&highlight=measure+stock+height
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1001797&highlight=measure+stock+height
http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=912893
It looks like the rear is higher than the front.
The AALs you bought are RE 2.5" and RE is known for netting higher lifts than what they are advertised. So, the rear may be lifted 3". If that's the case, you can remove the second stock leaf and see where that puts you.
E
hotrod6657
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA (For now)
I realized that was what I did by adding the weight. Based on my angles what does everyone think I should do?
The pinion angle and TC angle don't seem very bad, the pinion is 2 degrees less than the TC with respect to the driveline. I could add one or two degrees to make the two basically even but would that really help much?
I'm find waiting for things to settle if they're going to but I don't want to chew up my u joints in the process, nor to I want to sit around waiting if they aren't going to settle.
The pinion angle and TC angle don't seem very bad, the pinion is 2 degrees less than the TC with respect to the driveline. I could add one or two degrees to make the two basically even but would that really help much?
I'm find waiting for things to settle if they're going to but I don't want to chew up my u joints in the process, nor to I want to sit around waiting if they aren't going to settle.
