mikezohsix

How do you measure drivetrain angle?

I'm trying to match my crankshaft centerline to the original motor I removed and plan to put the output shaft of the trans at the same position as the original.

I read about drive train angle, and could probably measure what mine is, but relative to what?

I read one post where a guy was using a laser off the bellhousing, I'm not set up for that.

thoughts?

Jimbo1367

I've seen people put a "angle finder" on the tail shaft of the trans. (driveshaft removed) I am not sure if thats what you are after. From what I remember seeing. Shoot for 3-5*

Pocket

iTrader: (22)

Use an old yoke in the rear of the trans or build the laser tool

Glance over this and see if it helps any
http://www.hotrodlane.cc/trannys/driveshaftangles.jpg

Mike52

iTrader: (1)

Mike, hopefully these links will help.

http://www.iedls.com/ptsetup.html

http://www.ls1.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16320


Mike

mikezohsix

Thanks for the links.
I've seen some of them before and understand the basic principles. I guess I should have better explained.

The car the drivetrain is going into had a two peice drive shaft, and IRS, so there is no pumpkin motion to deal with.

I can see how much of an angle my tailshaft is at, but how do I figure out where it should be pointing when my target is a driveshaft hanging off the center bearing?

My recipient is a Volvo wagon, my donor is a 04 GTO, the trans is a T56. I have the DS out of the GTO, but am only planning to use the end at the trans, I want to keep the Volvo DS and center bearing.

I guess I'm going to do the laser glued to the tailshaft flange process I read about in one of the threads here or somewhere.

Ultimately I have the engine as low as it will go in the car. I changed to the H3 pan, and am targetting 3/8 clearance for the K member. Motor mounts are at final machine now before they go to weld. Once that's done, I'll know better what I'm looking at.

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

What about this article from Rod and Custom?
http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/...ech/index.html

mikezohsix

here's another link, which was mentioned somewhere, but I found when looking for inlinometers...

Haven't digested it yet, but looks good on first glance.

http://www.vibratesoftware.com/html_...aft_Angles.htm

pushrod36

When I did mine I used an angle finder on the tailshaft of the tranny (as mentioned above), and I correlated that angle with just about any other surface that I cold find on the engine that seemed like it should be on plane with the crankshaft.

Remember that if worse comes to worse you can make some adjustment at the differential to achieve the correct angles at the u-joints.

mikezohsix

Two piece drive shaft, with independent rear suspension, so the whole thing gets more complicated, or at least different.

Can't move the pumpkin.
Can move the center bearing a little, but not finding the "rules" for how to set that up.
And,,,, since the drive shaft(s) are so short, the angles go big in a hurry.

Pop N Wood

iTrader: (1)

I've never done a two piece shaft so can't really help you there. I thought one of the earlier links in this thread had rules for that.

What I do want to add is sometimes you can shim or drill out washers on pumpkin mounts to move one end or the other. Like you said with the short shafts it doesn't take much verticle movement to change the angle a good bit.

Andy1

If you still have the original motor/trans, perhaps you can re-install it and make some reference measurements to establish the angle and also the position of the tailshaft (in reference to something like the floor as a plane and/or chassis points). If you can replicate the positions/references/axis' with the new motor/trans, then it would be a matter of splicing into the xexisting driveshaft. I don't claim to have any experience with your particular situation, but there are some fundamantals that may lead towards a solution. Good luck.

Andy1

gofastwclass

iTrader: (2)

IRS doesn't make it more complex, the rules are the same - only the pumpkin doesn't move. Actually from a drive line standpoint, IRS is the optimum setup. The pinion angle never moves so you can set it and forget it instead of compromising for the suspension travel of a live axle.

Page 2 paragraph three of the article I listed says what you need to know if I understood your initial question correctly.

Hope this helps.