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Driveline
Geometry 101
General Application
MOST
IMPORTANT
Safety is the
single most important factor when undertaking any modification project.
Any changes should be carefully studied to see how the modification will
effect other components. The planed modification itself must be looked at
closely to see if it and the components used are safe. If you are planning
this type of project, carefully review this material and research other
sources before you start your project.
WHAT
WE ALL KNOW
Face it, older
classic trucks generally ride and steer like -- well -- like trucks. Being
reasonable people (not prone to excessive masochism in the form of
kidney-busting rides or arm-breaking steering exercises), we look for the
appropriate corrective solution.
If you take
the time to engineer the modifications carefully, do the work well and use
good parts, most modifications will work exactly like you want them to.
Poor design, sloppy work, or incorrect installation, however, will find
you doomed to unsettling vibrations, aggravating noises, and premature
failure of parts.
WHAT
YOU NEED TO KNOW
One critical
aspect that is particularly misunderstood, and a common source of trouble
is basic driveline geometry. Simply put, this subject covers the angles at
which each component of the driveline rests in relation to the next. It
may sound somewhat confusing, but I think you'll see it is not all that
tough to understand. Besides, the reward for reading on may take the form
of a smoother and more reliable driveline.
The engineers
who originally designed these trucks made certain that the driveline
geometry was correct from the factory. The problem for us is that we often
change the original geometry when we alter the ride height, relocate the
rear axle from spring bottom to top, use lowering blocks, change or
re-arch springs, and all the rest of the myriad techniques we employ to
create that perfect suspension. The bottom line is this: If you change the
suspension components or configuration, you should verify the geometry is
still correct. The sooner you do this and correct any problem, the less
expensive and time-consuming it will be.  [more]
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