Pinion angle shims

[53 stickfigure]

Ordered 3 inch lowering blocks for the rear of my 53 chevy 210. My question is, should i use pinion angle shims, and if so, about what degree? Ive found 2 degree and 6 degree in 1.75 inch width, and im lifting the front 4inches. I still have the enclosed driveshaft. Ive lowered plenty of cars and trucks with normal shafts but im new to the old style enclosed driveshaft chevy used. With the front going up and the rear going down, its messing with my head. I cant seem to work it out in my head or on paper. I hate putting things together and have to go back and change it.

 

[MercuryMac]

I have changed the pinion angle on my open driveshaft '36 truck a lot of times in the last year and a half, so I should know things, but, Alas, no.
Here are some thoughts though: Yours is a closed driveshaft so the pinion angle won't change at all. Your biggest concern probably will be the slight change in the angle of the mounting plate from the rear-end to the new block. maybe jack the springs up until the blocks touch the rear-end plate and watch the angle between the rear-end and the lowering block, and if there's a wedge shaped space between them, let them down and put a small wedge in there, mostly so the spring won't have a slight 'S' shape to it.
I hope you have narrow enough lowering blocks or your U bolts will be spread out quite a ways. Good luck.

 

[53 stickfigure]

I figured it wouldnt be just bolt up and go. The blocks came from ecklers specifically for the 53. They're 1 3/4 wide.

 

[MercuryMac]

Oh good. I lowered a '46 Dodge recently and just used generic 3" blocks. They were a little too wide, but I changed the shock mounting brackets and got them to work. I haven't even started worrying about the pinion angle yet.

The second picture is just me bragging; those are the hubcaps I'm going to put on the front of the '46. There will be fender skirts on the back.

 

[53 stickfigure]

Those caps are really cool. Im gonna run 15x10 ss cragars on the rear with stock 15x5s with dog dish caps on the front.

 

[Bamamav]

Since you have a closed driveline the pinion angle isn't a problem. Exceeding the working range of the u joint at the transmisson is what you need to watch. You need to find the max angle that joint will work without binding. If it is too much the joint will wear out in no time or bind and break.

 

[53 stickfigure]

Is there a way to change a closed driveline to an open one? Im not familiar with this setup at all. I havent drove it much, about 1 mile since i bought it but i did notice a loud clunk when making a tight turn that felt like it came from the driveshaft.

 

[smallfoot]

Is there a way to change a closed driveline to an open one? Im not familiar with this setup at all. I havent drove it much, about 1 mile since i bought it but i did notice a loud clunk when making a tight turn that felt like it came from the driveshaft.

Unless these guys have another method, It takes replacing the tranny, shaft, and rear end...
I thoroughly tired my old azz out one time replacing transmissions in a AD Chevy. Enclosed drive train. At the time the yards were full of ADs and trannys would run cheap back then, but most that were found had similar problems and it was a waste of time to replace them with an unproven one but hey....I upgraded to a later model Saginaw 3 speed and open shaft and went to a later lsd rearend....no more tranny problems after that!

 

[Old Iron]

You can but, it reqiures changing the rear end and the tranny to a later model.

 

[Old Iron]

Unless these guys have another method, It takes replacing the tranny, shaft, and rear end...
I thoroughly tired my old azz out one time replacing transmissions in a AD Chevy. Enclosed drive train. At the time the yards were full of ADs and trannys would run cheap back then, but most that were found had similar problems and it was a waste of time to replace them with an unproven one but hey....I upgraded to a later model Saginaw 3 speed and open shaft and went to a later lsd rearend....no more tranny problems after that!

smallfoot beat me to the answer. I just type too slow