You're dealing with a blacksmith, not a mechanic. Take the rear end somewhere else.
The goal is to create a straight line from the back of the crankshaft through the transmission, driveshaft, and the pinion of the differential under load!! Due to the tendency of the pinion to rise under load as the pinion climbs the ring gear, there MUSt be some angle present at rest.
How well the rear suspension controls the position of the rearend is the most critical issue that determines how much pinion angle will be needed. Some types of rear suspensions offer more control than others and require different angles. A ladder-bar suspension normally requires ½ degree of pinion angle, a four-link requires 1-2½ degrees, and a leaf-spring suspension requires up to 6 to 7 degrees. That's negative pinion angle, i.e., the pinion is nose-down in relation to the driveshaft.
It was fine when you got it back from him the first time.
Good luck.
Thanks Q, thats some good info there. Just for the record my "blacksmith" told me that "if one was down then I want the other up". He said that is because if they are straight I would get vibrations as the U-joints will bounce on the insides of the caps. If I were to let him fix it(again) he would leave it at 6 degrees up which according to you would be too far up as under load it would rise further.
I guess the best thing to do, regardless of his being paid already, is for me to grind off the old perches and set-up the whole thing with the new perches loose and spot 'em in place when I find ~ 6 degrees down?
I think my perches may be a tad wider than stock, anyone know the distance from say the backing plate to the perch and the distance between the two inside holes on the perch? I have a "G" machine kit that came with a rear sway bar and with the perches set at 3 inches from the backing plate the sway bar is too long. looks like I need 40 inches(center of hole to center of hole) between the two inside holes on the perch( I have just less than that)
On the up-side my test drive would have been little fun as it has snowed here yesterday and today.
