Driveline angles and TKOs

[shawge]

I was looking to finish off the drive line this weekend on the Challenger by measuring for a drive shaft.
Car has a 451 with a TKO-600.



Decided to double check the drive line angles and found this:
- Engine/transmission is pointing 5 degrees down.
- Differential is pointing 0 degrees horizontal

I do not have the drive shaft angles - I suppose I could derive this since I know roughly the distance between the transmission and differential.

IIRC, stock angle for the engine/transmission are around 3 degrees and the differential angle should closely match the engine/trans angle.  Is 5 going to be trouble down the road (haha) with vibrations at speed?  Raising the transmission is an option but not enough to take in 2 degrees unless I also lower the engine.

[Daveh]

I would order and install the driveshaft first.  I just finished installing my TKO 600 and once you install the driveshaft you can download the Tremec Tool Box which has a driveline angle finder.  It was super easy.  You use the side of your smartphone as the straight edge and you place it on the flat surface of the trans, driveshaft and rear.  It gives you the numbers and if they come up green you're good to go.     Good luck.

Dave

[shawge]

Thanks Dave.  Would you have your drive line angle by chance? I'd like to compare notes.

Out of curiosity, what was your measurement you gave to SST?  On my end, I'm reading 51-11/16" for a TKO-600 and S-60.

[Chryco Psycho]

I would raise the trans as much as possible even 2* will help

[shawge]

Yeah CP, I'd like to have the engine angle to be at least 3 degrees down.

Keeping the mounts where they are and just raising the transmission mount - I'd need about 1/2" (raising it 1/4" gave me 4 degrees) and would put the transmission very close to the cross member brace. This would also require minor tunnel surgery to make more space for the top of the transmission - dang it I thought I had checked all of this when I welded in the trans tunnel and patch panel.

Are there any options to lowering the engine using the mounts? Thin isolators, elongating holes?  Lowering that pivot point would be an easy(?) way to get a lower engine angle along with transmission mount shims. Might even get away w/o cutting the tunnel again. I've loosened up the mount hardware and have been wiggling and jiggling the engine to chase this engine angle and also an engine offset issue.

Using the Schumacher mounts if that matters.

[Chryco Psycho]

There should be some wiggle room in any mount but the mount should be flat on the k frame pad so other than reworking the K frame it will be tough to lower the  engine .

[Daveh]

I actually came up with 2, 52-3/16" and 52-1/4".  Ben from Silver Sport said to go with the 52-3/16" so I did.  My kit came from the now defunct Keisler but Silver Sport transmissions have been awesome to deal with along the way.  They have been helping me with all of the miss matched parts that Keisler sent.  Now it's in and can't wait to get it going.  Hopefully soon. 

[shawge]

Almost 1" in spaces and now my engine angle is at 3.1 degrees.  Good enough.

To get this angle I had to remove a bolt on the TKO shifter. Hex head was hitting the tunnel frame.  I'd like to replace it with something with a lower profile.  Someone else ran into this and posted a pic, bolt is pointed at:



Original bolt is 7/16-14, 0.75" length.   Local stores don't have it in that bolt size - all are under 1/4.  I've been asking for a low profile cap screw, is that correct?

[Brads70]

Flat Head Socket Cap Screw    Glad to see your getting it sorted out!