Pinion Angle

[fast73dartsport]

What should the pinion angle be on a 73 dodge dart sport thats an A BODY trying to set up rear end so it hooks good 

[bOb shingler]

5-7degrees

[mopowers]

I'm sorry, but is parallel to the ground considered 0 degrees?  so you adjust it 5 degrees up from that?  I'm just a little lost  Thanks

[Tubbed440]

http://www.markwilliams.com/driveshafttech.aspx

Angle is measured relative to crank/trans centerline or a line perpendicular to it, not the ground.  The reason 5-7 was quoted is because you have a leaf spring car.  The extra angle is there for spring wrap when the axle is under load (acceleration).  Ladder bar cars are 2-3 degrees and 4 links are 0-2. 

[mopowers]

http://www.markwilliams.com/driveshafttech.aspx

Angle is measured relative to crank/trans centerline or a line perpendicular to it, not the ground.  The reason 5-7 was quoted is because you have a leaf spring car.  The extra angle is there for spring wrap when the axle is under load (acceleration).  Ladder bar cars are 2-3 degrees and 4 links are 0-2. 

How do you know the angle of the crank/trans center line?  And once you have that angle, do you just adjust the pinion angle 5-7 degrees towards the ground relative to the crank to allow for leaf spring wrap?

[bOb shingler]

ok fellow bbd'er. head to the lowe's or hd and purchase yourself a carpenter's protractor. with all the weight on the tires crawl under and stick the thing on the driveshaft and record your reading. next stick it where the pinion stubber used to be before you removed to check this stuff, record this too. now substract the two from one another. the answer is your pinion angle.

[mopowers]

thanks.  easy enough 

[rharveysr]

Lets take this a little further down the road as it were.  Current project is a 1968 Dart with a inline 6 and automatic and the stock rearend.  This car will be getting a 383 BB,A-833 4 speed,8.75 rearend,springs relocated inboard and mini tub'd.
Now tell me how to setup the pinion angle.......please!

Thanks
Rick

[bOb shingler]

after you get all the parts installed. the thing that you will do in addition is not weld the spring perches on but only tighten them down put not completely. then do the above measurements. use a bottle jack to rotate the housing untill you get the nose down degrees needed. then tack weld the perches on. remove the housing and finish welding it.

[dartracer]

What he said.

[sr71mopar]

How about side to side? Where do you take your mesurements?

[bOb shingler]

off the frame and wheel wells