If you have lowered your truck, the pinion angle must be adjusted. This is not a difficult process, but it is important to get it right. The pinion angle is the angle between the driveshaft and the rear axle.
If it is not set correctly, your truck will not drive smoothly and may even vibrate.
- Park your truck on a level surface and set the emergency brake
- Place a jack under the differential housing and raise it until the tire is just off the ground
- Remove the wheel lug nuts with a socket wrench and pull the tire off
- Clean any grease or dirt off of the U-joint caps with a rag
- Look at the U-joint yoke to determine which way it needs to be rotated in order to achieve the correct pinion angle
- Rotate the yoke until it is in the correct position, then reattach the tire and lower the jack
Setting Pinion Angle With Leaf Springs
Pinion angle is one of the most misunderstood aspects of setting up a leaf spring suspension. In this article, we’ll explain what pinion angle is and how to set it up properly on your vehicle.
What Is Pinion Angle?
Pinion angle is the angle between the driveshaft and the rear end differential. The driveshaft transmits power from the engine to the rear end, and the differential distributes that power to the wheels. Proper pinion angle is critical for two reasons: driveline efficiency and vibration reduction.
If the pinion angle is too high or too low, it can cause problems with both of these areas. A high pinion angle will put unnecessary stress on U-joints and potentially damage them. A low pinion angle can cause vibrations that will be transmitted through the drivetrain and into the cabin of the vehicle.
Either way, it’s important to get it right!
How To Set Pinion Angle
There are a few different ways to set pinion angle, but we’ll just focus on two of them here: using shims and adjusting spring buckets.
Both methods are relatively simple and only require basic tools. Let’s take a look at each one in turn.
Shimming Pinion Angle: To shim your pinionangle you’ll need some tapered degree wheel bearingshims .
You can find these at any parts store nearyou that specializes in off-roading or 4x4s .INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS: 1) Jack up yourrear axle until your tire is offthe ground
2) Supportyour axle with a jack stand 3) Remove yourdriveshaft 4) Usinga pry bar , removeyour old axle shaftU-joint straps 5) Pry outyour old U-joint cups 6) Removeand discard yourold U-joint bearings
Do You Set Pinion Angle at Ride Height?
Pinion angle is the angle between the driveshaft and the rear end differential. The pinion is the gear on the driveshaft that meshes with the ring gear in the differential. Proper pinion angle is critical to driveline function and longevity.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to setting pinion angle: at ride height, or pre-load. Pre-load involves adding weight to the vehicle, such as by putting a sandbag in the trunk, so that when you set your pinion angle it will be closer to where it will be under normal driving conditions. Ride height simply means measuring and setting your pinion angle with the car at rest on level ground with no added weight.
So, which method is best? It depends on who you ask! Some people swear by setting pinion angle at ride height because they feel it gives them a more accurate starting point.
Others find that pre-loading helps ensure that their pinion angle stays consistent under different loads and driving conditions. Ultimately, it’s up to you to experiment and see what works best for your particular setup.
How Do I Set My Pinion Angle?
There are a few things you need to do in order to set your pinion angle.
First, find out what the stock pinion angle is for your vehicle. You can do this by looking in your owner’s manual or contacting the manufacturer.
Once you know the stock angle, you can decide how much of a change you want to make.
Next, gather all of the tools and parts you’ll need. This includes a measuring tape, an adjustable wrench, and either new U-bolts or washers and bolts that are the same size as the U-bolts.
If you’re using new U-bolts, make sure they’re the correct size for your vehicle before proceeding.
Now it’s time to get under your vehicle and take some measurements. First, measure from the center of each bolt hole on one side of the axle to the center of the corresponding bolt hole on the other side.
This will give you the width of your axle housing.
Next, measure from directly above one differential mounting boss (the part that sticks up where the bolts go through) to directly above the other differential mounting boss. This measurement is important because it will let you know how far apart your diff is currently mounted from top to bottom.
With those two measurements, calculate half axle width and half diff Boss height . These numbers will come in handy later when we start making adjustments .
Assuming everything so far has been done correctly , it’s now time to adjust your pinion angle .
To do this , first loosen (but don’t remove) The four bolts that hold your differential carrier in place . Next , support The carrier with a jack or similar device so that it doesn’t fall when we remove The U – Bolts . After that , remove The U – Bolts completely and set them aside .
At this point , if everything has gone according to plan , The only thing holding Your differential in place should be The jack or other support device . Now would be A good time To check Your work So Far just To make sure That nothing Is binding or stuck before We continue Adjusting things .
What Degree Do You Set Pinion Angle At?
Pinion angle is the angle between the driveshaft and the rear end differential. The pinion is the gear that transfers power from the driveshaft to the ring gear. The ideal pinion angle is 3-4 degrees upward from horizontal when viewed from the rear of the vehicle.
This puts the U-joints at about a 20 degree operating angle which is as close to perpendicular as possible, minimizing wear and vibration.
Does Car Need to Be Level to Pinion Angle?
No, your car does not need to be level to set the pinion angle. You can use a floor jack to raise or lower the vehicle on one side at a time to adjust the pinion angle.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to lower your truck, one of the first things you’ll need to do is set the pinion angle. This can be a bit tricky, but with these tips, you’ll be able to get it done in no time.
First, you’ll need to find the centerline of the axle.
You can do this by measuring from the ground up to the center of the wheel hub. Once you have that measurement, subtract half of the wheel diameter from it. This will give you the centerline of the axle.
Next, you’ll need to measure from the ground up to the center of the u-joint on your driveshaft. Once you have that measurement, subtract half of the driveshaft diameter from it. This will give you your starting point for setting your pinion angle.
Now that you have your starting point, it’s time to set your pinion angle. To do this, simply rotate your driveshaft until it’s at the desired angle and then mark that spot on your differential housing with a paint pen or marker. Then, all you have to do is rotate your axle until it’s at that same spot and weld or bolt it in place.
And that’s all there is to setting your pinion angle on a lowered truck!