Before & After SOA

[Limited Ex]

Before:

After:

Now I need to work on getting the front done

 

[Robb]

HUGE!!

Nice Work!!!

Robb

 

[Limited Ex]

Thanks! It actually made it ride a little bit better too.....

 

[beaston1]

hey..do you have any pictures of your truck from a side angle at all? cause i think that looks SICK and the black rims also look good on it too!

 

[John_Rock]

Can I post my Before and After pics?
I just did it to my truck this last weekend.
I'm very happy with the ground clearance that I have now.

Before

After

Side Shot!

I can't think of any recent before side shots I have to compare.

 

[Yomie]

How do you measure the pinion angle before you weld?

I'm wanting to do the SOA with my mono leaf and stock shackles

 

[John_Rock]

Yomie, we put it all together first.
Then set the pinion angle.
Tighten down the U-bolts.
Drive it real slow and easy to the nearest muffler shop to have the perches welded.

The muffler shop charged me $40.00.

I picked up generic perches from a local 4x4 shop for $12. I've seen that some guys are buying ones from http://www.mountainoffroad.com/ for $45.00 plus shipping.
But, I just needed to grind a little bit on the generic ones to have them fit the axle tube.

 

[Yomie]

Originally posted by Johnstone
Yomie, we put it all together first.
Then set the pinion angle.

I mean, do you eyeball it, or is there an actual measurment? I know its not supposed to point at the tranny, its supposed to be relatively horizontal right

 

[John_Rock]

Originally posted by Yomie
I mean, do you eyeball it, or is there an actual measurment? I know its not supposed to point at the tranny, its supposed to be relatively horizontal right

According to my mechanic friend Bill, you just line up the 3rd member straight with the driveshaft. We just eyeballed it.
That worked for me.

 

[Yomie]

oh ok, thanks

 

[Lifted95X]

Originally posted by Johnstone
According to my mechanic friend Bill, you just line up the 3rd member straight with the driveshaft. We just eyeballed it.
That worked for me.

REALLY??? I was getting prepared to do this as well, and everywhere I have read states that you want the DS entering the rear axle at the same angle that it is leaving the tranny.

Like this.

 

[Lifted95X]

Here is a page I have used for reference.

http://www.4x4wire.com/tech/pinionangle/

 

[Jefe]

If it is a singe U-joint at both ends of the driveshaft, the angles at the tranny or t-case, and the diff should be equal but opposite to reduce driveshaft vibration.

If you have a CV/ Double Cardan joint at the tranny/t-case, then the there should be no angle between the diff and driveshaft.

Edit: the link in the previous post explains it very well, and even has pictures

 

[Lifted95X]

Originally posted by Jefe
If it is a singe U-joint at both ends of the driveshaft, the angles at the tranny or t-case, and the diff should be equal but opposite to reduce driveshaft vibration.

If you have a CV/ Double Cardan joint at the tranny/t-case, then the there should be no angle between the diff and driveshaft.

Exactly what i have read. So our normal setup is a Single U-Joint in the rear right?

 

[John_Rock]

Also keep in mind that I have the longest wheelbase Explorer and Yomie and SSIKORA have the shortest wheelbase Explorers.
If mine is not exactly right, it may not affect me as bad.

 

[Jefe]

Originally posted by SSIKORA
Exactly what i have read. So our normal setup is a Single U-Joint in the rear right?

Yes, stock setup is a single U-joint driveshaft in the rear.

Originally posted by Johnstone
Also keep in mind that I have the longest wheelbase Explorer and Yomie and SSIKORA have the shortest wheelbase Explorers.
If mine is not exactly right, it may not affect me as bad.

It will most likely effect you just as much, just at a different speed (which could be faster than you ever drive, so you'd never notice it)
What gears are you running John?

 

[John_Rock]

Come to think of it, I have double U-joints at the ends. So, I guess I'm different. Special me!

Shouldn't be hard for me to remember, cuz when we didn't have the perches welded yet and I didn't drive softly enough the pinion angle rotated up and those double U-joints caused a vibration because they were hitting each other.

 

[John_Rock]

Originally posted by Jefe

What gears are you running John?

My truck came stock with 4.10 gearing.

 

[Limited Ex]

Jeez this post started filling up quick!
Johnstone, I guess it is a little late to decide whether you can post your pics here or not Are your front fenders flared? In the two sideshots it looks like your fenders are hanging out over the wheels a little bit.
Beaston, I will have to snap some more pics of it when I get back home, thanks!

 

[Limited Ex]

Johnstone, nevermind! I just saw your sig, hehehe