Drive shaft angles...w/carrier LWB truck attention!

[jwilliams3]

I recently had problems with 1st and 2nd gear take off vibration.

I narrowed it down the the driveshaft angle aft of the carrier unit (too much downward angle).



Well I installed about . 5" worth of stock above the carrier unit and this has almost aligned both shafts together.

There is still about a couple degrees of downward angle after the carrier housing.



All take off vibration is gone.



My question: Can the shafts be aligned too perfectly? or should I have a certain amount of downward angle to allow for upward articulation of the rear axle?? (ie sledpulling, heavy loads etc. ?)



?????

Thanks for the help!

 

[mberry]

I would say that unless you tow or haul heavy most of the time, having the shafts aligned like they are would be better than not. Most of my miles are empty, non-towing so I would leave it the way you have it.



If you think about it, what you have done is the opposite of heavy towing or hauling. If you tow or haul much, then the shafts would be just like stock, just in the opposite direction.

 

[sag2]

If you have access to the service manual it is outlined in the axle group 03. Without looking you do need some operating angle (. 5 degrees?) and operating angle cancellation less than 1 degree.

 

[sag2]

Forgot to mention, DC has a 1 inch spacer pkg 5135709AA, and it included longer bolts and the spacer

 

[Tim]

Any joint that operates at any angle other than 0* needs to match another joint's angle or you will have vibration.



Set your angles at ride height and ensure they're within a few degrees. If you're 0* in the center concentrate only on the angles at the ends of the shaft.

 

[AK RAM]

Forgot to mention, DC has a 1 inch spacer pkg 5135709AA, and it included longer bolts and the spacer

Interesting. I have been wanting to lower mine for a while now, but procrastinating about having to hunt down parts. This sure would make it easy. Is this universal, fitting 03s thru 05s?



How heavy is this mess when you drop the carrier housing? Too heavy for a guy to get under there and drop it himself or are the shafts pretty light?

 

[sag2]

When I was a kid I had a 43 Jeep with a Buick V-6. Used to break the T84 all the time and I didn't have a floor jack. Used to pull the transfer case on my chest and roll it on the floor. I know the shaft is lighter than that. Just don't start laughing while your doing it!

 

[jwilliams3]

Shaft is not exactly light, not hard to accomplish by yourself.

Thats how I did mine.

 

[strokerschmoker]

I did the same on my truck. I did it to offset the increased angles due to a lift. I took a piece of 1'' square tube cut and drilled it and bolted it in. As for the drive shaft being heavy just do one side at a time and let the opposite side hold the weight

 

[tkerrigan]

Jwilliams3, I had the same problem with my truck, and the problem was that the center bearing needed moved 1/4" to the right. I shot a lazer line through all three u-joints and noticed that the center u-joint was out. By loosening both sets of mounting bolts there was enough slop to move it over. My 2-pc drive line has angles of 4° and 7. 5° and runs great now, tested w/5th wh. If you look at u-joints running in horizontal and a vertical planes it can be off in one, but not both. If off in both, it tries to move transmission in circles.