"Ix-Nah" on the whole closure thing from my previous post! So this is how the story goes......
After install of the BMR adjustable upper control arm for the rear end, I would get a horrible knocking/ clunking sound going over bumps while coasting or slowing down (akin to possibly a loose strut noise). Not only that, nut the howling/ squealing noise was still very much there.
Since the only change was the adjustable control arm, I swapped it back out for the stock unit and noise was gone! In doing a little more light reading, it came to light that the BMR upper adjustable control arm is known for making that knock/ clunk if you don't use their custom frame bracket (and just use the Stock one).
A few weeks later, while out shopping, I decided I needed a few more tools which included a proper "angle finder". When I got home, I jacket the car back up and placed it up on blocks so it was sitting at ride height with weight on the wheels. Using my new angle finder, I wanted to find out exactly where my Pinion angle was and this time for sure! The first place I measured was the Crank pulley. I used a flat metal bar to span across the pulley from top to bottom and the angle finder showed 2.8 Degrees. Then I wanted to get a solid reading off of the rear differential.... to do this, even though there are like 10 different methods online people use, I decided that removing the driveshaft and taking the reading off of the machines U-joint cap surface was the best bet. With the driveshaft out of the way, I got 3.0 Degrees! The pinion is pointing up past the transmission angle already by .02 just sitting still. This would mean under power, I was probably at 5.0 Degrees while the transmission was still fixed at 2.8 Degrees..... Yikes! Stock upper control arm will not cut it. I have to go back to the BMR adjustable, but this time had to order their $150.00 aftermarket bracket to avoid getting that clunking noise when going over bumps. I just got the bracket in yesterday, and plan to do the install (again) this week. Want to get the rear differential pointing down below the trans angle to either 0 Degrees to 0.2 degrees (that way under acceleration, with 2 degrees of upward movement, the trans and rear diff point directly at one another. This seems like such a simple thing, but its had me going for a few months now. LOL What better way to learn!
Now to address the noise which started this whole journey..... its not the twin disc at all. Its the ring and pinion howling at speed! While I had the driveshaft out to take the angle measurement, I noticed quite a bit of play in the pinion yolk! Not only do I knot believe there is supposed to be no play at all, but I think you need to show about 15 in lbs of preload to be able to turn it. I could just take the yolk in my hand and turn it left to right about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch in both directions! It had no play in and out or up and down, but rotationally, I was getting quite a bit.
Not really sure how this happened as the car probably only has a total of 200 miles on it in total (?) between my drives and the Carfix episode. But either way, it appeared a rebuild was necessary. Yesterday I ordered a set of US Gear lightning series (the ones that are pre-broken in and you do not have to go through the break in procedure), a rebuild kit, all the pinion depth tools, analog in/lb torque wrench, extra crush collars, etc.... and I will be taking this on as well! I maintained my 3.89:1 gear ratio with the new gears (forgot to mention). Let you all know how it goes.