Just put the trans back in and I have to have the trans mount slid way over to get the bolts through the crossmember and into the mount. I've seen homemade tools using a laser pointer to align the pinion center with the output shaft. Is there a laser tool available to do this?
and put it on the tail shaft of the transmission..
I've heard of guys using a magnet on the pinion and then rotate the tires to get the laser to not draw a circle up near the trans. Once the laser stays as a dot when rotated, your dead on. Here's a Youtube homemade tool but I like yours better. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBYaAkQMSE0This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ron Gusack,
March 18, 2023, 12:22 PM
rusty
why is it different
honesty is the best policy,insanity is a better deffense 1.036, 6.16@ 224
March 18, 2023, 05:12 PM
Ron Gusack
I'm not sure if it is, but I've never checked it and I've moved the rear a little to equalize the slick to quarter distance. The trans mount is slid way off center compared to the tailshaft so it looks weird. I guess it's just a peace of mind thing.
March 18, 2023, 05:34 PM
"The Bender"
Is this a stock chassis car?
272" Spitzer 540 Chevy The Blower Shop XR1 FTI XPM Series Converter FTI Level 6 Powerglide 3.69@199 .916 60'
2017 Bradenton Heads Up Madness Open Outlaw Champ
2018 PDRA T/D #5 2019 PDRA T/D #2
2020 Retired From T/D Competition....
2020 Bradenton NMCA Hemi Shootout Winner
2021 getting back into bracket racing with a Gen3 Hemi powered 87 Cutlass.
March 18, 2023, 06:59 PM
Ron Gusack
70 Nova with the OEM front subframe and SRD frame rails to the back. Originally we used leaf springs with the slider box that SRD built. She's old,
March 18, 2023, 07:22 PM
"The Bender"
Did you change the transmission crossmember or motor mounts recently?
272" Spitzer 540 Chevy The Blower Shop XR1 FTI XPM Series Converter FTI Level 6 Powerglide 3.69@199 .916 60'
2017 Bradenton Heads Up Madness Open Outlaw Champ
2018 PDRA T/D #5 2019 PDRA T/D #2
2020 Retired From T/D Competition....
2020 Bradenton NMCA Hemi Shootout Winner
2021 getting back into bracket racing with a Gen3 Hemi powered 87 Cutlass.
March 18, 2023, 07:23 PM
"The Bender"
You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I recently did just that and found that my transmission tail shaft was one quarter inch out of alignment left to right.
272" Spitzer 540 Chevy The Blower Shop XR1 FTI XPM Series Converter FTI Level 6 Powerglide 3.69@199 .916 60'
2017 Bradenton Heads Up Madness Open Outlaw Champ
2018 PDRA T/D #5 2019 PDRA T/D #2
2020 Retired From T/D Competition....
2020 Bradenton NMCA Hemi Shootout Winner
2021 getting back into bracket racing with a Gen3 Hemi powered 87 Cutlass.
March 19, 2023, 09:40 AM
Ron Gusack
quote:
Originally posted by "The Bender": You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I recently did just that and found that my transmission tail shaft was one quarter inch out of alignment left to right.
I thought about a chalk line but I didn't think about doing it from the crank so it didn't make sense, but now I see. Hopefully I can trust the ATI degreed balancer to make dropping an accurate plumb line there. Thanks for the suggestion.
March 20, 2023, 01:34 PM
69427
quote:
Originally posted by "The Bender": You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I did exactly this but used my Dewalt rotary laser.
If you know someone in the building trades, you might be able to borrow one.
March 20, 2023, 03:04 PM
BD104X
quote:
Originally posted by "The Bender": You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I recently did just that and found that my transmission tail shaft was one quarter inch out of alignment left to right.
^^ This. I just put a 5 speed in an old Corvette and had to fabricate a crossmember. I hung a string (plumb bob) from the balancer bolt & another from the pinion nut in the differential. Then ran a string from front to back - that gave me a location for the output shaft of the trans.
Billy Duhs - BD104X@gmail.com
March 22, 2023, 05:20 PM
Ron Gusack
quote:
Originally posted by "The Bender": You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I recently did just that and found that my transmission tail shaft was one quarter inch out of alignment left to right.
I can't drop a plumb bob from the crank because there's a cross member in the way. I used my DIY laser tool and I'm about an 1/8th out. Is an 1/8th off enough to require an adjustment? It's been this way for years and never seemed to cause a problem. Did you notice a difference when you eliminated that 1/4"?
March 22, 2023, 05:29 PM
"The Bender"
quote:
Originally posted by Ron Gusack:
quote:
Originally posted by "The Bender": You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I recently did just that and found that my transmission tail shaft was one quarter inch out of alignment left to right.
I can't drop a plumb bob from the crank because there's a cross member in the way. I used my DIY laser tool and I'm about an 1/8th out. Is an 1/8th off enough to require an adjustment? It's been this way for years and never seemed to cause a problem. Did you notice a difference when you eliminated that 1/4"?
Haven't run the car after fixing the misalignment. I'll let you know after this weekend.
272" Spitzer 540 Chevy The Blower Shop XR1 FTI XPM Series Converter FTI Level 6 Powerglide 3.69@199 .916 60'
2017 Bradenton Heads Up Madness Open Outlaw Champ
2018 PDRA T/D #5 2019 PDRA T/D #2
2020 Retired From T/D Competition....
2020 Bradenton NMCA Hemi Shootout Winner
2021 getting back into bracket racing with a Gen3 Hemi powered 87 Cutlass.
March 22, 2023, 07:34 PM
markemark
quote:
Originally posted by "The Bender": You can drop a plumb bob from the front of the crankshaft and the rear of the tail shaft and then from the pinion and then do chalk lines see if the drive shaft alignment is at least straight from one end to the other.
I recently did just that and found that my transmission tail shaft was one quarter inch out of alignment left to right.
Were there any issues prior (vibration?) with it running 1/4” out of horizontal alignment??