http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...MEWA:IT&ih=007

is this a good piece? Price is right. My car is lowered 1.4 in the rear and 1.3 in the front. How far off is my pinion angle?
do I need one of these?

 

You are probaly off, but there are a lot of cummulative tolerances on the car, so no one can say with certainty how much.

Best bet is to measure the pinion angle first, then decide.

 

I agree but I am sure this drop has been done more than a few times and I would think there has to be a general idea by now how far it would be out, and wheather I would need to worry about it.

 

Just go woth the BMR peice. It's very nice.

Speaking of, I should install mine lol.

 

That is why you should measure it.

And if you never measure before you install a adjustable UCA, how would you ever know if it was really wrong.

If is not around 2 degrees (88 degrees off the pinion flange face) it is off.

 

Anyone have an illustration on proper measurement?

 

Its pretty easy. What you are measuring is the difference between the face of the pinion flange and the drive shaft tube. You can use a simple magnetic base angle finder. The shop manual method requires a little adapter. Either approach works the same in the end.

The factory spec call for 0.55 degs at the pinion. And there is really nothing wrong with that. The drive shaft angle to trans spec is 3.65 deg, which is a lot. With the two piece shaft, that will not change when you lower the car. The pinion angle will but with the 3 link set up, its hard to tell how much it will change, but I believe it will be pushing the pinion down, while the drive shaft angle shallows, so in the end you may end up less than the 0.55 specified.

Generally between the front and the rear, a total of 3 - 4 degrees is desirable (I am referring to 1 piece drive shaft), and either should not exceed 2 degrees. Not much you can do with the two piece shaft except for the pinion angle adjustment. Based of the factory spec, 0.55 deg pinion down relative to the drive shft is acceptable. For hard use or competetion, that may not be enough, because the pinion nose will try to raise and shallow the angle.