WildBlue goes RideTech

[GeoffP]

I had new joints installed when the shaft was shortened.

[Quickboat]

So it has been vibrating since this shaft was shortened? Hum......thats a tough one. Maybe they didnt balance it? Yes, driveshaft out of balance for twenty Alex!

[GeoffP]

Yah the shaft has been through 3 engine/transmission combinations and 3 suspension setup changes, same with the rear axle. They are the last two parts of the puzzle that haven't been replaced throughout my ownership of the car. They're due for replacement but sometimes you just have to work with what you have. The suspension mods I made this winter took priority based on what I want the car for (to drive and enjoy both on and off track). Hopefully I'll be able to get these last two parts replaced next winter or possibly find a way to fund them sometime this summer. We'll see. I'm going out now to work on the rear alignment and pinion angle some more to see just how close to perfect I can get it. I'm picky that way...

[Quickboat]

I had a sweet 4 inch aluminum driveshaft made by Inland Empire Driveline when I put in my TKO. I went with 1350 u-joints and used a converter u joint for my 10 bolt. My new 12 bolt will use the forged 1350 yoke but I wonder how much I will have to shorten the shaft from the 10 bolt length. I hate to have to chop it...
Are you running a 12 bolt?

[GeoffP]

Yah my car was swapped to a 12 bolt from a 67 back when my brother owned it. I probably should upgrade the shaft and change to 1350 joints. I just haven't done it yet. It's running 1310's front and rear right now and still has the original yoke too.

You might get lucky but I doubt it...I'm pretty sure the pinion length of the 12 bolt is longer.

[makoshark]

Are you confident your driveline angles are correct?

You shouldn't need to shorten your driveshaft going from a 10 bolt to a 12 bolt

[GeoffP]

In my case, no I'm not confident they're right. I don't have a good way to get the car in the air where I can get under it while also keeping the suspension loaded so I can check the angles correctly. In fact, I'm fairly confident they're wrong since the driveshaft vibration is worse now than it's ever been. I know my buddy got the axle off center when he welded the tabs on. I used the upper link adjustment to center the axle but I also think the pinion angle is nose up from what I can tell. It's definitely a problem. We even used the angle finder and measured everything multiple times. It's my fault for not checking his measurements against mine because he got in a hurry due to his welder messing up. As far as I can tell, there's no way to fix it without cutting the tabs off and welding on new ones. I've been fairly disgusted with the car this week and tried not to think about it. If I had known that Alston makes a fixture to put the upper link brackets in place with the housing out of the car, I would've just ordered it and taken the axle to someone to have the tabs installed by someone professionally. I found this out the other night - wishing I would've known sooner. The instructions for it says it works with all versions of the G-bar and G-link so I don't see why it wouldn't work with the ridetech cradle since it's actually Alston's design.

I guess I should just get the axle back out, verify that welding fixture will work with the ridetech 4-Link, order it, get new tabs, grind off the old ones and take it to have someone fix the screw up. I figure it'll cost $150-200 to correct.

I am open to suggestions!!

[makoshark]

Could you post a link to that fixture from Alston? I can't find it on their site and I wasn't aware of it. I want one. I think I got my axle 2 degrees down and need to readjust.

[GeoffP]

Here it is:

http://www.cachassisworks.com/p-2717...lt-camaro.aspx

You have to scroll all the way down on the G-Bar/G-Link page. They have a 10 bolt and a 12 bolt fixture.

[makoshark]

Thanks...I just found it prior to you posting this. I was originally looking in their tools section rather than the suspension section. I will definitely be purchasing one of these. This will simplify the process greatly and take the guess work out of it. I had a hard time laying under my car setting the pinion angle and tacking the brackets on. I have not fully welded mine on and went back after tacking them on and checked the pinion angle and it appears to be 2 degrees down. It's difficult for me to see though as my eyes are not what they used to be:(

[Quickboat]

Since the lower links are fixed, it will be the uppers that locate rearend center and pinion angle. I would suspect the Alston fixture would not give you the proper angle since the ridetech front upper eyes are in a different location. It would seem to me that the criticle part of welding the rear upper eyes on the ridetech, would be to get them EVEN. This is why they give us a fixture to get the two sides even.
Mako if you need more pinion you will have to lengthen the uppers. If you lengthen them evenly the pinion will lift up and the rearend will stay positioned in the center. If you were to lengthen them uneven the pinion would go up AND the rear would move away from the side that you made longer.
Just my 2 cents...

[makoshark]

I can't answer the difference in upper link position from the g-link to g-bar, but the site states the fixture works with all g-link's and g-bar's. I would assume, from that, they have the same position. However, I have no experience to prove that.

As for changing the pinion angle with the upper links, The lower links would need to be changed as well to maintain proper wheel placement within the wheel well. My lower links are non-adjustable, so any change to the upper would correlate to the wheels not being centered in the well.

The fixture is only $80 and I'm sure there is shipping costs involved as well. However, I wouldn't want to spend $100 shipped for an item in question whether it would work or not on my particular suspension.

[Quickboat]

Mako, I assumed you had the ridetech setup...my bad. If you had an Alston g-link the fixture is the way to go.

[makoshark]

You assume correctly. I misconstrued the information The fixture won't work on my car as I have the airbar. No big deal, I'll just have to either get a digital angle finder or break down and accept the fact I need to wear reading glasses now

[GeoffP]

Guys you know that Alston designed the air bar right? The air bar is also the first design G-Bar. This is why I think the fixture will work with the ridetech air bar/4-link. I am going to call Alston tomorrow and ask to be sure. I would be open to splitting the cost of the fixture with you guys...I don't see why we couldn't share it and its not like I'd need it once the work is done so one of y'all could keep it. Just let me know what you think.

[makoshark]

I would be open to sharing the costs as well if it works for the airbar. I'm like you though, I wouldn't have any use for it after setting the rearend up with it. We could make it a board shared item

[Quickboat]

You assume correctly. I misconstrued the information The fixture won't work on my car as I have the airbar. No big deal, I'll just have to either get a digital angle finder or break down and accept the fact I need to wear reading glasses now

Oh gosh, I have reading glasses lying EVERYWHERE...nothing worse than trying to work on something small and there are no glasses handy!
You've got to have a magnetic angle finder! No way to do it without one. (They are cheap)The key is to match the angle of the tranny yoke. The tranny yoke will be opposite though, (pointing down). The rearend should be close to ride height too when measured.

[makoshark]

I don't want to admit I'm getting old and so I have refused to buy reading glasses It's only in situations like those that I even need them though. I have a magnetic base angle finder, but the magnet on it isn't strong enough to stay in place on its own. When I did it all originally, I really didn't have the car quite high enough to move around under it very easily. I'll have to get it up higher next go around so I can work more efficiently under there.

[Quickboat]

I don't want to admit I'm getting old and so I have refused to buy reading glasses

LOL
If the fixture works I might be interested in a group buy. I'd have to confirm with ridetech though.

[GeoffP]

Provided I don't have a "day" at work tomorrow from being out of town for 2 days, I'll call Alston and find out if it works or not. I'll report back here once I have some info.