setting pinion angle

[Cody75]

im setting up a full width dana 60 under the front of my bronco. im using a c6 and a np205. my question is how to setup my pinion angle? if anybody else is running the same drivetrain pictures would be appreciated..

 

[addicted]

Most people just use an angle finder. Pretty cheap at Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Set your pinion angle about 2 degrees low to compensate for the rise you will get under load. Basically, install your driveshaft and position the pinion so that it is level with the shaft. You can check it with the angle finder on the flat side of the yoke and again on the shaft. Record the # and then tap the yoke down until it reads 2 degrees lower. Then weld in your perches. Thats how I have done it twice in the past and it worked out great.
Edit. Sorry. I didnt read your entire post. On the front the idea would be the same except your angle will be determined by the C bushings and length of your radius arms. And depending how much lift you have you will most likely have to find a "middle ground" to keep your coils from bowing excessively. In other words, I have no idea. Lol. Sorry. Im sure one of the gurus will chime in.

 

[getfuzzy]

I had to read your question two times! Are you putting the 60 in the front like the post reads and it so with coil springs. If so and if it will see some street use, I would be more about the camber caster than the pinion angle. Or did you blow the C's off and resetting all of it? Just something to think about.

 

[Steve83]

This is Ford's recommendation & precise procedure:

 

[bmc69]

I had to read your question two times! Are you putting the 60 in the front like the post reads and it so with coil springs. If so and if it will see some street use, I would be more about the camber caster than the pinion angle..

x2..unless you are setting it up for trail only..or are willing to cut loose and rotate the center section, you can forget about pinion angle altogether because it will be whatever it ends up being after you achieve what is more important..a decent caster angle.

If its a trail-only rig....forget what I said above.

 

[jimmy18thing]

Those angle finders are great! But If you are looking for street ability (good caster) and good pinion then you are going to need to be doing some cutting, turning and welding. I have been in the same boat with my front axle. But I am not running a dana 60. I will be pulling the axle out in a month or two. I found a shop near by that will put it in a jig and fix all the angles for me so I can have both good caster and good pinion. Its going to be about $300 for them to do it, plus my labor to pull out and put back in.

 

[bmc69]

Just a question..or maybe its really just an observation... I have a load of trucks that are lifted and have 'good' caster angles and 'bad' pinion angles. But I have yet to have a problem of any kind with front driveshaft..ever..acknowledging of course that none of my 'bad' pinion angles are so bad that the u-joint actually binds up. But otherwise..I gots some pretty darned steep front driveshaft-to-pinion angles happily going on.

So what is all the fuss about..really?

 

[allenfahey]

When we setup my D60 with the Cage arms we set it something like 6-7 degrees for good street manners. My pinion angle is terrible and would bind at rest. If I were to do it again I would turn the outer "C"'s for best of both worlds. http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156960

 

[Dude seriously]

This is Ford's recommendation & precise procedure:

There is some good information in there.

Not to jack the thread, but one thing I noticed when reading that was the comment "use of highly-toleranced U-joints" and that auto part store u-joints may not meet the requirement. Is there anything to that statement? Are the replacement u-joints at NAPA or Autozone, etc. a lesser product than OEM u-joints?

 

[bmc69]

When we setup my D60 with the Cage arms we set it something like 6-7 degrees for good street manners. My pinion angle is terrible and would bind at rest. If I were to do it again I would turn the outer "C"'s for best of both worlds. http://classicbroncos.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156960

Yup..your pinion angle was one of the worst I had seen..remind me again what lift yr truck has.

Both my 5.5 lifted rigs have 'bad' but still happy-performing pinion angles; both are high-pinion front axles of course.

 

[allenfahey]

5.5 suspension and high pinion 78 D60. I don't plan on anything in 4wd on the street so Tom's offset u-joint works good for me.

 

[DirtDonk]

...Not to jack the thread, but one thing I noticed when reading that was the comment "use of highly-toleranced U-joints" and that auto part store u-joints may not meet the requirement. Is there anything to that statement? Are the replacement u-joints at NAPA or Autozone, etc. a lesser product than OEM u-joints?

Yes there is, to the first question, and yes/and no to the second.

Whether you get a lesser product or not, depends on what you ask for from them. They may sell Spicer (if that's the OE Ford unit?), but they sure sell lots of other brands too. Many sold strictly on price, and not quality. So you can get original (and maybe even better) quality, but you can get inferior quality as well.

However, that TSB is not talking about "stock" replacements at all. The way I read it they're talking about the needs of modified trucks, with non-stock driveline angles that require more specialized joints, like those now available through the aftermarket.
So even though it's possible to get stock (or better?) quality in a "standard" design joint, what they seem to be referring to are joints that are specially made to allow for more travel before binding, and/or more strength at their angle limits.

Aside from the generally accepted differences in quality, I've had extremely good luck with the cheapest of u-joints on my rigs. Running Spicer now, but never had a lick of trouble with my bargain brands. But they're still standard replacements, since I've kept my angles pretty optimized and didn't run extremely out of their comfort zone either.

Any high-tolerance u-joints they may be referring to are almost exclusively of more current vintage, and sold almost exclusively through the aftermarket. They're likely made by some of the same manufacturers, of course, like Spicer and others, but need to be specified when ordering.

Paul

 

[broncobran68]

Do the high pinion Dana 44s & 60s have a maximum pinion angle? Hi9s are only good for 5 degrees in the front due to oiling issues.

 

[bmc69]

Do the high pinion Dana 44s & 60s have a maximum pinion angle? Hi9s are only good for 15 degrees in the front due to oiling issues.

A very good question.. one I do not know the answer to either. That last bearing, highest and farther out on pinion shaft..that can be getting an awfully long ways way from the oil with not a lot of angle....

 

[Steve83]

If it was specifically designed to be a front HP diff housing, then the oiling passages are made for it, and the bearing will be fine, no matter how high it is. Pinion bearings aren't oiled by slosh - they're oiled by the ring gear, acting as a pump.