How to adjust pinion angle?

[Xposure]

I have a 8.8 rear axle and it’s angle is slightly off from the driveshaft angle. I don’t have a angle finder, I’m just eyeballing and holding something straight against the driveshaft to the diff to compare the angles and can tell the pinion needs to come up some. Not sure how to adjust it.

I do have a very very minor vibration under acceleration so figured I’d try adjusting the angle.

 

[Chris]

Do you have adjustable control arms in the rear?

 

[Xposure]

Do you have adjustable control arms in the rear?

No....so you adjust it using adjustable control arms? Just bring the control arms in and out and that adjusts the angle of the pinion and keeps the axle angle where it needs to be?

 

[Jerry Bransford]

No....so you adjust it using adjustable control arms? Just bring the control arms in and out and that adjusts the angle of the pinion and keeps the axle angle where it needs to be?

Yes, exactly.

 

[59 wagon man]

there is a phone app you can use to find the angle try tremec driveline angle finder app

 

[Chris]

No....so you adjust it using adjustable control arms? Just bring the control arms in and out and that adjusts the angle of the pinion and keeps the axle angle where it needs to be?

Yep, without adjustable control arms it can’t be adjusted at all.

 

[Xposure]

Any suggestions on good adjustable control arms? I’d prefer for the time being to just replace the ones I have to in order to change the pinion angle. Are most brands that are adjustable fairly similar? Are there some real benifits from one brand to another? I’d like to get a brand that eventually I’d want to have them all swapped too....but plan on doing it a little here and there.

 

[Xposure]

Also, I suppose I’d need both the upper and the lower, correct? Isn’t it the stock upper control arms that have a area with 4 holes for mounting brackets for brake and ebrake mounts? I don’t see anything to replace that on the aftermarket upper control arms...what did you guys do about that? Or am I confusing this part with a different one? It’s dark outside so I’m just going off of memory.

 

[Chris]

Any suggestions on good adjustable control arms? I’d prefer for the time being to just replace the ones I have to in order to change the pinion angle. Are most brands that are adjustable fairly similar? Are there some real benifits from one brand to another? I’d like to get a brand that eventually I’d want to have them all swapped too....but plan on doing it a little here and there.

Savvy are my favorites, followed my Currie. Both use Johnny Joints, and both are the best-of-the-best. They're costly though!

 

[ac_]

I have a 8.8 rear axle and it’s angle is slightly off from the driveshaft angle. I don’t have a angle finder, I’m just eyeballing and holding something straight against the driveshaft to the diff to compare the angles and can tell the pinion needs to come up some. Not sure how to adjust it.

I do have a very very minor vibration under acceleration so figured I’d try adjusting the angle.

If I may ask, what kind of rear track bar (panhard rod) do you have?

 

[Xposure]

Savvy are my favorites, followed my Currie. Both use Johnny Joints, and both are the best-of-the-best. They're costly though!

In order to adjust pinion angle would I need both upper and lower adjustable control arms? If so, isn’t it the uppers that have mounting holes for the brakes line and ebrake line brackets? I don’t see anything on the aftermarket arms to replicate that. What do you guys do about that?

 

[ac_]

I bought a full set of Curries for mine, but the rears are stock length on the bottom and adjusted at the top to bring the pinion up to match the driveline, so you probably could get away with adjustable uppers. If you wanted to piece it. In the front I made the tops stock length and pushed the bottoms to pull the pinion down.

This could totally be different on yours, but that worked for me.

 

[Chris]

In order to adjust pinion angle would I need both upper and lower adjustable control arms? If so, isn’t it the uppers that have mounting holes for the brakes line and ebrake line brackets? I don’t see anything on the aftermarket arms to replicate that. What do you guys do about that?

Technically all you need is the uppers. I like to have all adjustable though, only because they come with the Johnny Joints, which offer maximum misalignment and articulation, they're rebuildable, and IMHO they are the most bullet proof joint you can get, used in professional off-road applications all over the world.

The uppers have the mounting brackets for the e-brake cable. No big deal though, I just used heavy duty zip ties and mounted it like that to the new upper arms. No aftermarket arms have provisions for the e-brake cable to my knowledge.

The zip ties work just fine and have for years.

 

[Xposure]

If I may ask, what kind of rear track bar (panhard rod) do you have?

I’m not sure exactly, PO modified the Jeep so I’m not positive of brands and such for everything. I’ll get under there in the morning and check it out closer and look around online to see what I can find. It may be stock, I’m not sure.

By you asking there must be something on your mind regarding the track bar....what are you thinking? Should it have been replaced with an adjustable one as well?

The lift kit is Rough Country which I plan on slowly replacing. If I had to ‘guess’ this Rough Country track bar may be what’s on it....it looks familiar to me..... https://www.roughcountry.com/forged-adjustable-track-bar-1075.html

 

[ac_]

I’m not sure exactly, PO modified the Jeep so I’m not positive of brands and such for everything. I’ll get under there in the morning and check it out closer and look around online to see what I can find. It may be stock, I’m not sure.

By you asking there must be something on your mind regarding the track bar....what are you thinking? Should it have been replaced with an adjustable one as well?

The lift kit is Rough Country which I plan on slowly replacing. If I had to ‘guess’ this Rough Country track bar may be what’s on it....it looks familiar to me..... https://www.roughcountry.com/forged-adjustable-track-bar-1075.html

Does it look like it fits good with the 8.8? Doesn't look crooked or bindy?

 

[Xposure]

Does it look like it fits good with the 8.8? Doesn't look crooked or bindy?

I confirmed that the RC track bar I linked to in my prior comment is the one that is installed. Doesn’t appear to have any crookedness or bending...everything seems to be good.

Why, what’s up? Do you think there should be some track bar concerns?

 

[ac_]

I confirmed that the RC track bar I linked to in my prior comment is the one that is installed. Doesn’t appear to have any crookedness or bending...everything seems to be good.

Why, what’s up? Do you think there should be some track bar concerns?

Sorry it is not to scare you, but I am looking into putting a 8.8 into my Jeep too. The guy I am buying it from said that the JKS track bar I just bought last mount wont work, but I am thinking if it indeed wont work I will just fab the mount to work some how anyway. Looking at the picture you posted it looks like the RC one is much straighter than the JKS. He was telling me mine being curved wont fit, but we shall see. I am so close to getting the ball rolling.

 

[Xposure]

Sorry it is not to scare you, but I am looking into putting a 8.8 into my Jeep too. The guy I am buying it from said that the JKS track bar I just bought last mount wont work, but I am thinking if it indeed wont work I will just fab the mount to work some how anyway. Looking at the picture you posted it looks like the RC one is much straighter than the JKS. He was telling me mine being curved wont fit, but we shall see. I am so close to getting the ball rolling.

Sounds like it’s fun days ahead.

Who are you getting it from? Is it a owner who has one for sale or someone who builds them for Jeep transplants?

 

[ac_]

I got the idea from someone selling one, but it is actually cheaper to have one built for a transplant, so I am going to that route.

I did one on my old YJ it worked out well, so I am not too worried.