Quote:
Originally Posted by hemi43
It's really difficult to explain how everything should line up, but I'll give it a try.
In a perfect world, the angle of the pinion u-joints (front or back) should be at the same angle as your transfer case u-joints. This guarantees that your u-joint angles are the same which is critical for vibration and longevity. I always make sure this rule applies to the rear axle because this is what powers the truck down the road 99% of the time.
The front axle is a bit more difficult, because if you set the pinion angle to the output angle of the transfer case (ideal) it may not give you the proper caster. IMO, I would rather sacrifice a bit of vibration and u joint life for a much better handling and driving truck. How often do we use 4WD anyways, and it's usually low speed? It would be great if we could adjust the caster/camber relative to the pinion angle, but unfortunately this is set at the factory and not adjustable unless you're willing to cut and relocate the front knuckles.
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Yes sir, I'm with you. I have the rear end shimmed so that it is pointing at what I hope is the correct angle. Wont know until the drive train is in. We will see on the front. Like you noted above, I will hardly ever have it in 4wd so it should not matter as much as the rearend. Regardless, this rig better be smooth down the road or I'm gonna lose my mind. My Jeep experience just spooked me a little.