Drive line help???

[pappy]

I scored a nice 9” ford today from a 76 bronco 4x4. It’s 52 ¼” plate to plate but, I have a question ??? The input shaft is around 2” off center of the axle. I guess that is because it came out of a 4x4 with a transfer case? How will this effect my drive line set up? I know I can get the horizontal (x,y axis) right but, the (y,z axis) side to side is troubling me. I’ve never tried this before. Can this be done without having drive shaft vibration or throwing the drive line out of sync? Thank you all for any help!!

 

[Gastrick]

pappy, did you measure from the pinion center to the ends of each axle? I may be misreading your post and I don't want to insult you. But just to simply answer the question, yes you can have the pinion offset and the transmission centered. Just make sure that you have enough room in the driveshaft tunnel for clearance. It will not cause vibration or throw the driveline out of sync.

 

[pappy]

Thanks, Gastrick…Yes, the pinion center is off around 2” from the center of the axle. I know this isn’t much but, I don’t want to put this together and have trouble latter. I know we don’t live in a perfect world and, I’ve seen some things that shouldn’t work that do. And, things that do work that shouldn’t. I’ll line it up and, give it a try.

 

[freakdude]

My buds got a hot rodded 2WD CJ5, its got an offset rear in it. Its only a couple of inches off. I really dont think it matters. As for the pinion angle, thats another matter. I always set mine up at a 3 degree upward pinion and the tail of the trans at a 3 degree downward pinion,. Ive heard of people running two leaf springs pointing the rear downward to off set the axle wrap. Ive done a couple of rears at the 3 degree up and they worked well.

 

[donsrods]

Most rear axles are offset to the passenger side somewhat, so you will be fine, as the guys said. I know it seems they should be dead center down the middle, but for some reason they move them to the right in most applications.

Don

 

[Unkl Ian]

If the pinion was centered,then the pumpkin will be offset.


As long as the pinion angle is correct,drive shafts can handle compound angles.

 

[Todd]

Those ford 9 inchers are more noticable, but yes it is normal.

 

[LoneWolfStreetRods]

But to answer your question, no it won't matter, the u-joints don't care if it is up and down or side to side as long as the planes are perpendicular and/or parralel.

 

[maddog]

Just discovered the offset issue with rearends myself. I have been told that in a truck they used the same size axles which puts the pinion offset. In a pass car they used different size axles which puts the pinion closer to center so the driveshaft runns down the center of the car and the hump can be smaller. The bronco I'm told uses different size axles than either truck or pass car.

Just some more useless info.