Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

I’m getting back to work on my 1965 short box Fleetside Chevy. I have put new stock rear springs and bushings and it has a 295-50-15 Tire. The spring perches appear to be stock. The weld certainly looks factory. I have a 15 degree pinion angle, with the pinion pointing up towards the tranny. This is severe to me. The tranny angle is approximately 8 degrees pointing down towards the rear differential. I realize I need to pick the engine and tranny (zz427 & Tremec TKO600) up a few degrees. The front height of the truck is without the front sheet metal on it. But this certainly can not change the pinion angle that much. The truck originally had a 6 cyl. engine with a 3 on the tree. The front springs are new stock too. I feel I am missing something obvious and stupid. The angle is so severe the only fix seems to be to cut and change the perches. Has anybody seen such a severe pinion angle from the factory? I have attached a couple of picks showing the angle and the current stance.
THANK YOU!

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

The truck appears to be sitting rather high. I'm thinking once you get everything installed on the truck it should drop down a bit which will reduce your current pinion angle.

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

For a 2WD half ton it seems like it has an excessive amount of ground clearance. Are you sure you have the correct springs and shocks?

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

that is excessive. ...around 3deg is about average on trans and rearend. ...and I agree...it looks to sitting high...

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

The new springs are not wound like the old progressive springs. That may make them a bit taller. Also there is the heavy duty spring that is for the Suburban that will give you just what you have going on. The truck will settle some as you get all the weight on it but I dont think it will go the 3 inches it needs to get you a good pinion angle.
Jimmy

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

Thank you all very much for your replies & the help. The Springs were all ordered as stock springs for a 1965. Can anybody tell me what the stock height should be so I can measure it?
Thanks again for all the input!

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

They look like the springs from my friends suburban

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

My 66 GMC was sitting around 10 degrees with what i believe were the stock springs.

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

on these model trucks, are the 3 center coils not supposed to be nearly touching each other?like in this thread pics......http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=763522 .....his are spread out...

Re: Pinion angle severe but seems to be stock
 

As stated in that thread, the OP there has what is known as progressive, or variable rate springs. Those were available from the factory although what the OP in that thread has likely have settled a bit from it's original height.