Need advice: LS ENGINE SWAP

[LH Lead-Foot]

Depending on your budget and future use, you can get an analog angle gauge with magnetic base at HF. The sell digital ones that are smaller. My only advise is to use the u-joint caps, file them smooth and flat as many get the hammer treatment during years of service.

With a truck, it can run un-loaded for weeks, then have 15 sheets of drywall the next day. Also, with air bags and drop rear frame members, this too affects the angles.

I spent years fixing problems in shops both small & big. My main disadvantage is not having serious modification skills to make what was not there. I can weld, hammer, shape, heat & beat metal into submission to create and fabricated, and pick up serious sewing skills. I just repaired what was broke or bad, but mainly put things back to new from the day they where sold. I do know what specs are how to avoid vibrations, keeping the life of u-joints, but also the tail shaft bushing from wearing or worse yet. loosing the front pinion bearing. Most frozen u-joints take out that bearing.

There are many good youtube vid's on pinion angle, both professional, off-road and for the modification types. Search and watch some of these, as you will figure out if the dude is dead on and knows his stuff, or just found a hammer and figure to pound u-joints today, while counting beers.

Thanks for you concern with my medical, but all bad. For the better part of my 50's, now ten years in, I have major arthritis in elbows, hands, finger and they don't act like they want to fix them via elbow joint replacement. Actually said "They don't like to do that". Bought a fancy wheel chair sometime ago, maybe I will put a cup holders on it and grease the wheel bearings. Yep, soon, I will be deleting my account here, but IATN and others. I just wanted to finish my C10. Can't pay, don't have the helpers either. Maybe I'will trade my TECH2, MIG and SnapOn / J-Tools to be named later, in for a paint job because I don't think I can hold the gun long enough...it's a day long job. Hell, i can barely get up off a creeper. But, that's the way it goes. Sew the seats, console & door panels, then sell the Juki lock-stitch commercial machine w/alum, oil crankcase. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
So, best of luck. It will work out for you!

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by LH Lead-Foot

Depending on your budget and future use, you can get an analog angle gauge with magnetic base at HF. The sell digital ones that are smaller. My only advise is to use the u-joint caps, file them smooth and flat as many get the hammer treatment during years of service.

With a truck, it can run un-loaded for weeks, then have 15 sheets of drywall the next day. Also, with air bags and drop rear frame members, this too affects the angles.

I spent years fixing problems in shops both small & big. My main disadvantage is not having serious modification skills to make what was not there. I can weld, hammer, shape, heat & beat metal into submission to create and fabricated, and pick up serious sewing skills. I just repaired what was broke or bad, but mainly put things back to new from the day they where sold. I do know what specs are how to avoid vibrations, keeping the life of u-joints, but also the tail shaft bushing from wearing or worse yet. loosing the front pinion bearing. Most frozen u-joints take out that bearing.

There are many good youtube vid's on pinion angle, both professional, off-road and for the modification types. Search and watch some of these, as you will figure out if the dude is dead on and knows his stuff, or just found a hammer and figure to pound u-joints today, while counting beers.

Thanks for you concern with my medical, but all bad. For the better part of my 50's, now ten years in, I have major arthritis in elbows, hands, finger and they don't act like they want to fix them via elbow joint replacement. Actually said "They don't like to do that". Bought a fancy wheel chair sometime ago, maybe I will put a cup holders on it and grease the wheel bearings. Yep, soon, I will be deleting my account here, but IATN and others. I just wanted to finish my C10. Can't pay, don't have the helpers either. Maybe I'will trade my TECH2, MIG and SnapOn / J-Tools to be named later, in for a paint job because I don't think I can hold the gun long enough...it's a day long job. Hell, i can barely get up off a creeper. But, that's the way it goes. Sew the seats, console & door panels, then sell the Juki lock-stitch commercial machine w/alum, oil crankcase. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
So, best of luck. It will work out for you!

Just got home from work, thanks again for the advise ! I will check out some videos tonight after I finish the rear wiring on my truck. Videos are so much easier for figuring things out. Last night I ordered one of those digital inclinometers on amazon it should be her tomorrow. Best of luck to you and don't give up, there is lots of remedies for arthritis I know probably wont cure completely but might make it better enough to get back into things. Hope you stick around for awhile.

[LH Lead-Foot]

I agree on "Good" video's. There are some Race Team vid's that the tech knows what he is doing, but sometimes, doesn't fit what you need. But look at many and you will find good info. Glad on your digital angle gauge purchase. Tools have become so much better as the price comes down. Ben buying SnapOn since 1970.
I fixed the light on my R450b soldering iron yesterday, that come with 3 tips up to 450 watts. I wore it out. Much to my surprise, SnapOn still sells the 450 watt tip for $30. Happy to have it back as others soldering irons that reach 450 watts are over $450 now. It's only 42 year old and works great on 10 AGW wire...even larger copper eyelets on cables.

Yah, I am in a sad state of mind with elbows after the Dr. had 3 x-rays L & R and right is real bad, although I am left handed. Go figure. He said you have a lot of arthritis and the ulnar nerve maybe trapped, but you need a replacement elbow and i quote" We just don't like to do that"...
This is not the first saw-bones I heard this, as his excuse was there manufactures give the device 10 years of life and only replaced once...So, at age 60 will take your to 70, then new one. But is works loose of wears out, sorry Charlie...you are SOL. Fine.
I just need my lumbar and elbow for 3 more years, then I don't care.

Best of luck on your driveshaft, mounts and u-joint angles.

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by LH Lead-Foot

I agree on "Good" video's. There are some Race Team vid's that the tech knows what he is doing, but sometimes, doesn't fit what you need. But look at many and you will find good info. Glad on your digital angle gauge purchase. Tools have become so much better as the price comes down. Ben buying SnapOn since 1970.
I fixed the light on my R450b soldering iron yesterday, that come with 3 tips up to 450 watts. I wore it out. Much to my surprise, SnapOn still sells the 450 watt tip for $30. Happy to have it back as others soldering irons that reach 450 watts are over $450 now. It's only 42 year old and works great on 10 AGW wire...even larger copper eyelets on cables.

Yah, I am in a sad state of mind with elbows after the Dr. had 3 x-rays L & R and right is real bad, although I am left handed. Go figure. He said you have a lot of arthritis and the ulnar nerve maybe trapped, but you need a replacement elbow and i quote" We just don't like to do that"...
This is not the first saw-bones I heard this, as his excuse was there manufactures give the device 10 years of life and only replaced once...So, at age 60 will take your to 70, then new one. But is works loose of wears out, sorry Charlie...you are SOL. Fine.
I just need my lumbar and elbow for 3 more years, then I don't care.

Best of luck on your driveshaft, mounts and u-joint angles.

Thanks Lead-foot, looked at a few videos last night and beginning to get the Idea probably need to look at a few more just to get more comfortable. I got my gauge in the mail today so I plan on getting this all figured out this weekend, we'll see what happens. My plan is to get the drive shaft mounted then putting some boards under all four wheels and get some measurements, with gods help my measurements will be spot on if not then I have some work to do.

Your arthritis sounds pretty bad, I have injured my back years ago and now also have some arthritis going on I have also had scoped knee surgery for torn cartiledge and they both hurt as well, oh well this is life I guess but as long as Im still able to move around slow, but steady it wont stop me from getting this done, god willing. I'll post up my progress this weekend and thanks for the encouragement, just wish you were my neighbor so I could coax you over with a beer so you could tell me what Im doing wrong

[LH Lead-Foot]

Hope all works out well. Learning never stops. As for being neighbors, I'm all for it but my glass will have a stronger brown liquid. Ha, Ha!

Thank for the offer and would really like to have someone who wants to learn.

You can only take your dignity, experiences and your knowledge to the grave...and not much else.

I don't mean to be a "Debbie Downer" but having a Dr. tell you...We don't like to do that! What the hell? It's an artificial elbow...it's not an un-tested rocket I built in his back yard while holding a match!

I feel, by experience, I am just being setup for an excuse that will come after my wallet is lighter and he wants to play golf. The guy does hands, elbows and shoulders for a living. I turned 61, not 91.

Best of luck, and I hope I helped a little on a chore a custom builder has to check most of the time, just to be sure. Knowing is better than guessing or finding out when you're in the middle or no where.

Thanks very much for the kind words.

[bigmoe]

Desertdogg the easiest place to measure your engines angle is on the front pulley. Lay a straight piece of wood on the surface, top and bottom, and put your digital angle finder on the wood. Subtract 90 degrees from whatever angle you find and ideally it should equal 3 degrees down.


At the rearend, with the driveshaft off, move the truck so the yoke is up and down. Use the same method with the little piece of wood across the yoke and your angle finder on the wood. Again subtract 90 and it should ideally equal 3 degrees up.

You want weight on the suspension and truck sitting on a level surface. You can put blocks under the wheels like you said as long as they are all the same height.


The best way to think about pinion angles (with one piece driveshafts) is to imagine a straight line going from the center of the front pulley bolt and out the centre of the trans output shaft and continuing to the back of the truck.
Now imagine a line coming straight out the rearend forward. Those two lines should run parralell.

Here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...onangles.shtml


Just for reference I was playing around with my engine angle. I shimmed up my trans crossmember 3/8" and it decreased my angle about .7 degrees.

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by bigmoe

Desertdogg the easiest place to measure your engines angle is on the front pulley. Lay a straight piece of wood on the surface, top and bottom, and put your digital angle finder on the wood. Subtract 90 degrees from whatever angle you find and ideally it should equal 3 degrees down.


At the rearend, with the driveshaft off, move the truck so the yoke is up and down. Use the same method with the little piece of wood across the yoke and your angle finder on the wood. Again subtract 90 and it should ideally equal 3 degrees up.

You want weight on the suspension and truck sitting on a level surface. You can put blocks under the wheels like you said as long as they are all the same height.



The best way to think about pinion angles (with one piece driveshafts) is to imagine a straight line going from the center of the front pulley bolt and out the centre of the trans output shaft and continuing to the back of the truck.
Now imagine a line coming straight out the rearend forward. Those two lines should run parralell.

Here: https://www.therangerstation.com/tec...onangles.shtml


Just for reference I was playing around with my engine angle. I shimmed up my trans crossmember 3/8" and it decreased my angle about .7 degrees.

bigmoe, Thanks for the reply and help on this ! that's a good idea with the straight piece of wood. Im going to try this tomorrow and get the reading off my engine pulley tomorrow, it would by nice for now, just to know if my engine is at least in the ballpark. Thanks for the link and your explanation of how to figure the pinion angle it all makes sense to me more and more now, the only thing is I was wondering if you put a jack underneath the tranny to move it up will that cause any stress on the engine or engine mounts ? going to check that link out now, again thanks for trying to help its much appreciated !

[desertdogg]

Originally Posted by LH Lead-Foot

Hope all works out well. Learning never stops. As for being neighbors, I'm all for it but my glass will have a stronger brown liquid. Ha, Ha!

Thank for the offer and would really like to have someone who wants to learn.

You can only take your dignity, experiences and your knowledge to the grave...and not much else.

I don't mean to be a "Debbie Downer" but having a Dr. tell you...We don't like to do that! What the hell? It's an artificial elbow...it's not an un-tested rocket I built in his back yard while holding a match!

I feel, by experience, I am just being setup for an excuse that will come after my wallet is lighter and he wants to play golf. The guy does hands, elbows and shoulders for a living. I turned 61, not 91.

Best of luck, and I hope I helped a little on a chore a custom builder has to check most of the time, just to be sure. Knowing is better than guessing or finding out when you're in the middle or no where.

Thanks very much for the kind words.

Lead-Foot you have been a great help for sure. I played some more games with my truck this weekend and some more tonight, here is what I found. When trying to get my drive shaft on It would not go into the differential, with the yoke all the way in the tranny, and I mean all the way. seems Im off by like a half an inch or maybe a little less the other night it looked like it would fit perfectly but now it looks like I will have to get the drive shaft cut and reworked anyways, I got a measurement of 70 3/8" from the tranny to differential so this is going to cost me some more time and money, the good news is I got so mad that I decided to take it out on that transmission crossmember and was able to get it loosened after grinding the welds off but its still in there supporting the tranny which still leaves me in square one as I cant get the drive shaft on.

I also discovered something is screwy with my rear lights after getting all wired up I found that when the brakes are applied my reverse light is coming on at my rear right... the rear left Im not sure yet as I didn't have the bulb on it yet and haven't picked some up yet so I need to get that all figured out. Im now working on the front turn signals and marker lights, but lights are the least of my worries I will get that figured out one way or the other.


Lead-Foot I would seriously get a second opinion on that elbow, look online and see what others suggest ? your right 61 is not that old I think there is something out there that can fix it, I know knee replacement is a common thing and my buddies mom had both her knees replaced at the same time and shes pushing 80 you would think elbows would be easier ? anyways just a thought.