setting pinion angle

[Towd56]

I am trying to get my wagon (67 Country Squire) straightened out with regard to pinion angle. I have watched nearly a dozen videos, bought a book, and also read a bunch on-line. It seems most of the info is geared toward four links or leaf springs?  Does someone have a best method of setting pinion angle on a coil spring car with a factory type suspension? Is 3 degrees total acceptable for a big car like this?

I am not a chassis guy nor am I an engineer so a layman type explanation may help me a lot.

thanks

[Falcon67]

Technically, the angle at the trans should equal the angle at the rear.  Sort of saying the 'down' angle at the trans should be met with an equal "up" angle at the rear.  The angles allow the u-joints to rotate on the roller pins vs spinning and wearing in one spot if the shaft, trans and rear were all in a straight line.

That said, if it has angles it's good.  If they are not equal, it's not 100% efficient but nothing really is.  Bad angle would be 90 degrees from the trans, meaning you broke something.  On my door car, I never checked - just eyeballed it.  Been good for the last 40 years.  The dragster has zero pinion angle - just a coupler, no u-joints LOL!  People that spend a lot of time bench racing pinion angles are wasting time IMHO.  2~4 gets it well enough.

As for adjustment, if there is no adjustment in the arms that control the rear location, I don't see how you could adjust it.  In coil cars like a late model Mustang, they use adjustable control arms.

[66FAIRLANE]

[chilly460]

The question I always have but hard to find, is how much allowance should be given for pinion rotation for something like a leaf spring car?  So, at rest, the pinion is being measured, but it's going to climb X number of degrees at normal cruise, and a bit more under WOT...so is there a rule of thumb for that amount of climb?  I believe I've read 3-4* of climb should be considered for a street car, and up to 7* for full drag car with leaves, but can't find any reference to it. 

[Heo]

The question I always have but hard to find, is how much allowance should be given for pinion rotation for something like a leaf spring car?  So, at rest, the pinion is being measured, but it's going to climb X number of degrees at normal cruise, and a bit more under WOT...so is there a rule of thumb for that amount of climb?  I believe I've read 3-4* of climb should be considered for a street car, and up to 7* for full drag car with leaves, but can't find any reference to it.

And a 67 Galaxie got big rubber bushings in the rear suspension, I guess there is some climbers. Good thing
it easy to adjust the pinion angle on them

[Rory428]

The question I always have but hard to find, is how much allowance should be given for pinion rotation for something like a leaf spring car?  So, at rest, the pinion is being measured, but it's going to climb X number of degrees at normal cruise, and a bit more under WOT...so is there a rule of thumb for that amount of climb?  I believe I've read 3-4* of climb should be considered for a street car, and up to 7* for full drag car with leaves, but can't find any reference to it.

I doubt that there would be any measurable amount of pinion 'CLIMB' under cruising conditions, at acceleration yes, hard acceleration even more, but unless you are using MoPar "Super Stock" leaf springs, I doubt you would see anywhere near 7 degrees under a full throttle launch with slicks.

[Falcon67]

3~4 for a leaf car is suggested, on a drag car 99% are going to have some sort of traction device or limiter.  In any event, the "Super Stock" leaf spring trick of banding up the front half of the spring into a poor mans traction bar works because in a leaf spring, only the rear half is the "spring".  The front half is a locator.  Easily visualized because if you put, say, 3" shackles on the rear of a leaf car, the back half of the spring will absorb half, giving you only about 1 1/2" body lift.

[Towd56]

Thanks Guys

[gt350hr]

Towd56,
     You have a "four link " now. "I" suggest putting in urethane bushings and welding plates to ''box" them and make them stronger. The only other option would be to have custom adjustable  ones mad as I'm sure no one has them.

[chilly460]

Hard to say, all the videos I find they're in/out/in/out of the throttle, very little show cruise, but looks like maybe a degree or two from rest to cruise. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkkFoThS5Wc

[Falcon67]

I would not have expected to see that much moving around.