My intention was to replace my broken mono leaf(s) with new multi leafs. I decided to replace the perches with multi leaf type rather than a conversion kit. I also wanted to replace the seals as I has a bit of a leak. I took out my rear and I brought it to Walker Drive line. When I took it out I noticed that PO had accidentally hit the rear cover with a grinder and rust took over to create a pin hole. I asked them to tap it with a weld on the inside to close the hole.

Shortly after I delivered the rear the place lost an employee and the owner had to do all the work himself. After much delay I go to pick-up the rear and he had only spot welded the perches because, he said, the old ones were not even and he didn't know which one was correct. I thought it was strange as there was no evidence that a tube had spun but what do I know. He had me install the rear and measure the angle of my yoke and my tranny output. The tranny is 1 degree down and the rear was 6 degrees down. I removed the rear and returned it, we agreed that the rear needed to go 7 degrees up. a coupla days later I get the rear and I never thought to check it but as I started to install it it was clear he went 7 degrees the wrong way! My rear yoke is pointing way down. Now he says "well I'll need the car to get it right" he said he'll just cut 'em off with a plasma cutter and weld 'em back on. My response was that the perches would be no good after they were cut off, he said they would be...I ordered another set of new ones anyway because I don't want it looking like crap.

To further complicate things I have to tow it there and he has already been paid. Also the pin hole burned out so I had to buy a *#!&$ chrome rear cover.

I think the employee that left had ground off the old perches and thats why he needed me to measure it the first time and he just effed-up on the weld 'cause he was too busy the second time. I should have been test driving this weekend.

/rant

All I can say is WOW, I would tell him to make it right,

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.

Blacksmith LOL that cracks me up

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.

I sure will be glad when I can wipe this rear...



...off my list

What a disaster.