Inliners International Forums General Discussion Drive Train '60-'69 Chevy pickup pinion angle

Can anyone tell me what the pinion angle should be for a 1/2 ton Chevy pickup with the factory "ladder bar" and coil spring rear suspension?

I'm going to help a friend change his rear end on his '65 Chevy pu. I think the pinion and the driveshaft should be straight, with the only flex being at the u-joint by transmission out-put shaft. However, my friend thinks there is some angle adjusted into the rear u-joint, too. I don't have a shop manual and don't know who is right. We just want to do it right.

Common setup for drive line angles is 3 degrees down for the engine, and 3 degrees up for the pinion angle. The angles can be measured on the starter and the pinion flange. I have some technical articles on this if you need them.

Thanks, Tony

I know about setting up pinions and engine angles on "normal" vehicles, but I'm getting conflicting info on the 1/2 ton '60 thru '69 Chevy pickups that have "ladder bar" rear suspension and coil springs.

On most vehicles the rear end moves up and down at the same angle, but these Chevies, like the old Fords up thru '48, change slightly, only at the front joint, as the long arms of the "ladder bar" pivots up near the transmission. (I'm sure Chevrolet didn't call 'em ladder bars....maybe radius bars, or control arms, I can't recall)

I'm leaving for a week or so, but if you can post anything you have on this particular series of trucks, I'll read it when I get back. I appreciate your help and didn't want to go without thanking you for it.

Can't you just measure the angle on the original one and copy that? Is this truck being significantly lowered or ???

I changed the rear out on my '63 and if I remember correctly, the perches had to be welded on horizontal with the pinion flange at 12 deg from vertical.

Take your rear out, make a jig out of some heavy steel that allows you to bolt everything down and hold every flange in place. Then either cut off the old original flanges and weld them on the new rear, or use some new aftermarket ones. If you'll send me an e-mail using my profile, I can give you a more detailed explanation. It's not hard to do this.

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David

[This message has been edited by just a six (edited 03-10-2003).]

The two shafts you are trying to join with the u-joint should always be parrallel at normal ride height. So Tony's answer, if the engine is three degrees down the pinion would be three degrees up is correct. So park the car on as level floor and measure the angle of the trans output shaft then copy that angle to the pinion.