Conversions & Swaps LSX Engines in Non-LSX Vehicles
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Drive line angle

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Mar 20, 2023 | 09:54 PM
  #1  
Magonsterz's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 32
Likes: 4
From: Sunny So. Cal
Default Drive line angle

Can anyone confirm if this is good or bad/
measured up last night have yet to put on the road.
4l80 and GM 10 bolt, 68 Camaro

Reply
Old Mar 20, 2023 | 09:59 PM
  #2  
lees02WS6's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 281
From: Lansdale, PA
Default

Leaf spring car? What's the primary use going to be?


BTW, best video I've seen on driveline angles - and I've watched and read a fair bit about the subject

Reply
Old Mar 20, 2023 | 11:16 PM
  #3  
Magonsterz's Avatar
Thread Starter
Teching In
 
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 32
Likes: 4
From: Sunny So. Cal
Default

yes, leaf sprung car, Hotchkiss 1.5 lowering spring pack with cal tracs currently at zero pre load.
should be noted the Hotchkiss leaf has a heavy lower multi leaf that is offset to the front to assist limit axle wrap under hard acceleration.
Car is mostly weekend getaways freeway and occasional weekend hot rod shows.

Last edited by Magonsterz; Mar 20, 2023 at 11:27 PM.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2023 | 07:22 AM
  #4  
33willys's Avatar
TECH Enthusiast
10 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 699
Likes: 59
From: Alamogordo, NM
Default

Why not use CV joints in place of U-joints?
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2023 | 07:38 AM
  #5  
lees02WS6's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 281
From: Lansdale, PA
Default

Originally Posted by 33willys
Why not use CV joints in place of U-joints?
There is a guy over on pro-touring who did that. The Driveshaft Shop, yes I know about the reputation, makes rzeppa jointed shafts for this. That's the more expensive route for sure.

@Magonsterz As for the angles, given you have caltracs installed, I'd probably guess around 1° of pinion rotation under load. Start with the pinion at 2.6° slope down (the yoke pointed up). That way under load going down the highway the "assumed" 1° of rotation will pull the drive line into alignment. If you have vibration at highways speeds, I'd assume the axle is wrapping more than 1°, so adjust it down .5°, as in set the pinion 2°.

If this were a drag car only, with just leaf springs, having the pinion at .4°, as you have it now, might make sense, since the axle wrap under load would pull the drive line up to the equal and opposite angles. Given that this is a weekend street/show car, don't follow drag car advice.

Also, on a car, don't worry about the drive shaft angle. You only need to consider that in an application where you could potentially exceed the operating angle of the u-joints - that will never happen in a car. The only angles you need be concerned with are the angle at the yoke on the pinion, and the output shaft on the transmission.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2023 | 09:53 AM
  #6  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by lees02WS6
There is a guy over on pro-touring who did that. The Driveshaft Shop, yes I know about the reputation, makes rzeppa jointed shafts for this. That's the more expensive route for sure.

@Magonsterz As for the angles, given you have caltracs installed, I'd probably guess around 1° of pinion rotation under load. Start with the pinion at 2.6° slope down (the yoke pointed up). That way under load going down the highway the "assumed" 1° of rotation will pull the drive line into alignment. If you have vibration at highways speeds, I'd assume the axle is wrapping more than 1°, so adjust it down .5°, as in set the pinion 2°.

If this were a drag car only, with just leaf springs, having the pinion at .4°, as you have it now, might make sense, since the axle wrap under load would pull the drive line up to the equal and opposite angles. Given that this is a weekend street/show car, don't follow drag car advice.

Also, on a car, don't worry about the drive shaft angle. You only need to consider that in an application where you could potentially exceed the operating angle of the u-joints - that will never happen in a car. The only angles you need be concerned with are the angle at the yoke on the pinion, and the output shaft on the transmission.
There are many people who use the CV driveshafts from The DriveShaft Shop. I have used one in my GTO since 2012 and my Cougar since 2015. I am upgrading the GTO now and it will get a dual CV shaft, like the one I have on the Cougar.

Andrew
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2023 | 10:21 AM
  #7  
lees02WS6's Avatar
TECH Fanatic
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 1,882
Likes: 281
From: Lansdale, PA
Default

Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
There are many people who use the CV driveshafts from The DriveShaft Shop. I have used one in my GTO since 2012 and my Cougar since 2015. I am upgrading the GTO now and it will get a dual CV shaft, like the one I have on the Cougar.

Andrew
Cool, yah when ever someone mentions their name it seems you get the ones who had a bad experience. It seems like a great idea, for a lot of car applications, as long as you don't get too carried away (drastic operating angles will still heat up a cv joint), the angles no longer matter.
Reply
Old Mar 21, 2023 | 10:40 AM
  #8  
Project GatTagO's Avatar
TECH Senior Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Top Answer: 1
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,615
Likes: 1,883
From: Little Austin
Default

Originally Posted by lees02WS6
Cool, yah when ever someone mentions their name it seems you get the ones who had a bad experience. It seems like a great idea, for a lot of car applications, as long as you don't get too carried away (drastic operating angles will still heat up a cv joint), the angles no longer matter.
Yes, even with a CV joint the operating angles should be kept as small as possible, but since the angles no longer matter (front and rear don't have to be equal and opposite) it opens up a lot of options.

Andrew
Reply
LS1 Tech Stories

The Best V8 Stories One Small Block at Time

story-0

Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

 
story-5

Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

 
story-9

10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

 Verdad Gallardo




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:56 PM.

story-0
Amazing '71 Camaro Restomod Is Modern Muscle Car Under the Skin

Slideshow: This heavily modified 1971 Camaro mixes classic muscle car styling with a fifth-generation Camaro interior and modern LS3 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:06:42


VIEW MORE
story-1
6 Common C5 Corvette Failures and What's Involved In Repairing Them

Slideshow: From wobbling harmonic balancers to failed EBCMs, these are the issues that define long-term C5 ownership and what repairs typically involve.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-07 18:44:57


VIEW MORE
story-2
Retro Modern Bandit Pontiac Trans AM Comes With Burt Reynolds' Autograph

Slideshow: A modern Camaro transformed into a retro icon, this limited-run "Bandit" build blends nostalgia with brute force in a way few revivals manage.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:57:02


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Greatest Cadillac V Series Performance Models Ever, Ranked

Slideshow: Cadillac didn't just crash the high-performance luxury vehicle party, it showed up loud, supercharged, and occasionally a little unhinged...

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-16 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-4
Top 10 Most Powerful Chevy Trucks Ever Made!

Slideshow: Top ten most powerful Chevy trucks ever made

By | 2026-03-25 09:22:26


VIEW MORE
story-5
Hennessey's New Supercharged Silverado ZR2 Has 700 HP

Slideshow: Hennessey has turned the Silverado ZR2 into a 700-hp off-road monster with supercharged V8 power and a limited production run.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-24 18:57:52


VIEW MORE
story-6
Coachbuilt N2A Anteros Is an LS2-Powered C6 Corvette In Italian Clothes

Slideshow: A one-off sports car that looks like a vintage Italian exotic-but hides a C6 Corvette underneath-just sold for the price of a new mid-engine Corvette.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-23 18:53:41


VIEW MORE
story-7
Awesome K5 Blazer Restomod Comes With C7 Corvette Power

Slideshow: A heavily reworked 1972 K5 Blazer swaps its off-road roots for a low-slung street-focused build with modern V8 power.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-09 18:08:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Camaros You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There are thousands of used Camaros on the market but we think you should avoid these 10

By | 2026-02-17 17:09:30


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 LS Engine Myths That Refuse to Die

Slideshows: Which one of these myths do you believe?

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-28 18:10:11


VIEW MORE