if you adjusted your pinion angle, come in!

Pentalab

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Recently installed DSS one piece aluminum and adjustable UCA and LCA. I'm at -2 on the trans flange and about -0.5 on the pinion. Total pinion angle of -2.5 has yielded NO vibrations and driveshaft feels great. BUT..... I understand that because this driveshaft is a CV type, the angle is less critical?

My DSS doesn't vibrate on the dyno...at 150 mph ( 6 krpm in 4th gear)..on my 2010 auto. It has a CV at the axle end. ( 285-40-18 rear's on a 10" rim, with 3.31 rear gear. 26.97" diam rears). The shaft master's DS on a 2010 auto is a bad combo for vibration, but the one I had..has no CV joint. Sold it to a local buddy, who uses it on his 2008 manual, zero problems on his so far. But they are a trick to set up. Another buddy who also has a 2010 auto + shaftmasters DS, thought he had the pinion angle dialed in, then finds out he still has vibration...@ 120 mph. No big deal since he stays < 120 mph. That's the best he can do, after a lot of endless tweaking.
 
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Poonishr

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So reading all this, (20 pages) I realize confusion comes from having a one piece and taking measurements from the trans/pinion vice having a stock 2 piece and measuring from rear of DS/pinion. Also math is hard. I understand you want a final difference, however if you have a negative DS angle then you subtract the negative according to math rules, you add. I just want a final number. I have stock 2 piece, stock height suspension. BMR fixed LCAs with Granatelli relocation brackets (2 settings, I'm on lowest) I have just purchased BMR upper adj control arm with mount. I installed on my vert, which was pain removing additional supports. Initially lengthened arm to stock length. Put on and attempted to set pinion angle. Pulled a muscle and gave up. Took to a Firestone the next day, and had them align / set angle. They set it with the diff case vice the pinion flange. So much vibration... on and off phone with my shop CRT, calls to Kelly the Mustang tech at BMR. Finally Kelly just said set pinion to zero ignore the rest. So that is where it is now. Taken from driver side I am -4.5 on rear shaft and the pinion flange is at 0. I have to drive hwy today to get to work. First time above 50 since install. I am confused as a 0--4.5 is a +4.5, or does math rules not matter and it's -4.5. Either way can someone tell me a specific number +/- that my pinion flange should be at from measuring on driver side when DS is at -4.5? I have an automatic an want to be in the -1/-2 area when done. All my bushings are poly now. I daily drive but don't baby it. I am worried the if it's not right I will prematurely wear down bearings/break stuff.
 
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46addict

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If the tranny output points up and the pinion input points down (imaging laser beams shooting out of each) and the laser beams miss, you have negative pinion angle, which is what you want.

My current DS angle is 2* (trans down .5* and Pinion down 1.5*)
I have all tube/billet arms and poly bushings except the rear end housing upper bushing which is stock.

Correct.

If the trans is going down 1 degree....and the pinion is at zero, "IF" it goes up 1 degree under load, then the angles will be equivalent and cancel out.

I think these guys explained it well enough. Normal math rules apply to driveline angles too. Two negatives end up in a bigger final angle.
 
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Poonishr

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I don't know my trans angle. I have a 2 piece, so I am supposed to measure from the rear of the 2 piece. Which is -4.5, if I move my pinion flange from 0 to +2.5, the math is +2.5 - -4.5=+7. However if I move it to -2.5, then -2.5 - -4.5= 2. So I would have to go to -6 before the math would be -2. Seems excessive to have it angled so much.
 

RLF9409

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Tremec has a great ap to use. You can download from the play store.

I had a vibration at 120 used this app and now it is gone.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
 

David martin

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if you've adjusted your pinion angle, specifically to help eliminate drive shaft vibe....

what were your before and after angles, and what was the result?

i'm going to try this one last thing before i give up on one piece alum drive shafts.
 

oldVOR

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You shouldn't measure from that point since is not parallel to the pinion. Get on the pinion itself and obtain the measurement. You should also get the angle at the output shaft of the transmission. With both, you can then make the proper adjustments based on the the type of suspension components (rubber vs urethane vs rod end) you're using.
 

Midlife Crises

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Stick magnetic digital level to transmission mounting flange on bell house, vertically and press zero.
Move to pinion flange. Hold level vertically against pinion flange and adjust UCA until digital readout indicates 2* down. Tighten jam nuts. Done.
 

mikek2111987

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Stick magnetic digital level to transmission mounting flange on bell house, vertically and press zero.
Move to pinion flange. Hold level vertically against pinion flange and adjust UCA until digital readout indicates 2* down. Tighten jam nuts. Done.
2* even for lowered cars, where the pinion and transmission are more inline?
 

Midlife Crises

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2* even for lowered cars, where the pinion and transmission are more inline?
How much do your rubber bushings flex? My upper and lowers are all poly and lowered 1 1/2”. Soft rubber will deflect more and solid bushings will deflect less. 2* is working for me. 1 1/2* might work just as well.
My point was how easy it is to use a tool and not get confused doing it.:cheers:
 

bl817

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so I just put a new transmission mount on and it lowered the rear of the transmission 1/8" or there about. with the magnetic dial on the transmission flange its reading -5* or down 5*. then moved the dial to the pinion flange (also replaced pinion seal) and it reads 0* so level. I'm installing a FRPP 1 piece aluminum driveshaft. I have poly bushings thruout (upper axle, LCAs) and an adjustable RTR upper with their whatever bushing (supposedly softer than poly but harder than the stock rubber). I took the measurements without the driveshaft installed and the car level and rear end loaded, on the face of trans flange and face of pinion on same side of car. with all the reading on here and other sites, to get the ideal -1* to -1.5* setting, I need to adjust the rear pinion angle up to +3* to +3.5* correct? i'd just as well get the pinion setting right without the DS installed as its easier to get to the UC. thanks
 

moooosestang

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You could be the dumbest person on the planet with no car knowledge and you'd be able to understand pinion angle after watching this guys video.
 

moooosestang

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You shouldn't measure from that point since is not parallel to the pinion. Get on the pinion itself and obtain the measurement. You should also get the angle at the output shaft of the transmission. With both, you can then make the proper adjustments based on the the type of suspension components (rubber vs urethane vs rod end) you're using.

I've read elsewhere that it's actually 2 degrees up or positive in relation to the pinion so taking that into consideration if your measurment is zero on the flat underside of the pumpkin then your pinion flange is +2 degrees or 2 degrees up as i prefer to think of it. all this negative and positive creates confusion. measuring at the pinion flange is not really possible with my exhaust setup. My transmission is 3.5 degrees down and my pinion flange is about 3 degrees up. I can't even read the angle under the car because of my mid mufflers so i take a pic through the rear wheel. Same deal with the crank pulley. can't possible read the gauge without a zoom lens, lol!

pinionflange.jpg crankangle.jpg
 

pass1over

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I get why angles are crucial and very important when you have ujoints for connection points. Doesn't that all go out the window when dealing with CV joints?

The whole reason for checking angles is so that the ujoints were within it's small acceptable window of operation. With a CV joint, this window is MUCH larger. So why is it still so important?

I was fighting a rattling in my car and replaced the adj upper arm with a solid one. My LCAs are solid billet, non-adj. My car is lowered well beyond 2", and I have a Driveshaft Shop 1 piece aluminum shaft. I have 0 vibrations up to as fast as I can go and have never checked driveline angles. It's been this way for years and thousands and thousands of miles. Did I just get lucky or is this not as big an issue as it's being piled up to be?
 

moooosestang

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I get why angles are crucial and very important when you have ujoints for connection points. Doesn't that all go out the window when dealing with CV joints?

The whole reason for checking angles is so that the ujoints were within it's small acceptable window of operation. With a CV joint, this window is MUCH larger. So why is it still so important?

I was fighting a rattling in my car and replaced the adj upper arm with a solid one. My LCAs are solid billet, non-adj. My car is lowered well beyond 2", and I have a Driveshaft Shop 1 piece aluminum shaft. I have 0 vibrations up to as fast as I can go and have never checked driveline angles. It's been this way for years and thousands and thousands of miles. Did I just get lucky or is this not as big an issue as it's being piled up to be?

If you have a 1 piece DS with a CV joint then pinion angle is not crucial. I think most everyone in this thread has one with U-joints.
 

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