Ok. Bought an angle finder.
Pinion flange is 18*
Slip joint is 8*
Drive shaft is 21*
So I need a 10* shim on the rear of the spring to tip the pinion down?
If that is correct, will a easy inch with the degree cut into it work to fix the pinion angle and allow me to raise the rear of the truck a bit?
Currently the front is 42 1/4" from ground to fender lip. Rear is 39 7/8".
As far as the suspension height measurements go, it's the crease in the middle of the fender that the factory made "level". There is more fender below the crease on the rear compared to the front, that's why everyone perceives these trucks to sit low in the rear, it's the way they were designed.
But, ultimately, it doesn't matter what the factory considered "level". The way you want your truck to sit is totally up to you. If both ends of the truck are lifted the same, that couple inches of difference at the bottom of the fender sounds about right.
For reference, on the front, from the top of the axle
tube to the bottom of the
metal bumpstop bracket will measure 8.5 - 9" on a stock truck.
As far as your driveshaft goes, you'll be in for some guess-and-check work. Realistically, lifted Blazers need CV rear driveshafts to eliminate vibration, but for many that isn't an immediate option as they're not cheap.
Pointing your pinion down will make it "right" on paper but the problem is the operating angles are still very steep. Spicer specs ~3 degrees as the max operating angle for vibration free operation, you'd be at 15 degrees or so. So like I said, the cv shaft is the solution but you can make it work with some effort, some people have the best luck with matching operating angles, I had the best luck on my Blazer with the pinion pointing right at the t-case output (even though it isn't right on paper).
lol. Not much around here in the Texas Gulf Coast area but mud so I'm not worried about needing much flex.
