Questions about building my own floater

[RodneyEdmundson]

I've never tackled a job like this we've always had rearends used or pre welded. I'm building my own this year and have all my weld on components but I realize that I really don't know what I'm doing. After thinking it over for a while I believe I have a plan of action. I have the bare housing set up under the car with tires. First things first I'm assuming I need to center the pinion up to the transmission. I would then hook my 3rd link up and get my pinion angle set correctly. Set the wheelbase correctly on either side, them install my lowers on the frame{tightly so they center up} Attach the lower brackets to the control arm{tightly so they are centered up} and that should set my rear end in square and where the mounts should sit, am I going about this correctly? I know the control arms are straight, and they are correct for my car when it was built the first time, so I assume using them as a tool would be a good way to go about it. The spring perches seem pretty self explanatory, as well with my caliper brackets.

[RodneyEdmundson]

I guess thinking about it, the spring perches aren't so self explanatory. Do you weld them level at 0 degrees of angle so that they sit flat when you're on the gas and everything squares up? Or somewhere in between? Weld them level when the rearend is already set at pinion angle? Any help is much appreciated.

[save the racers]

It's best if your pinion is in line with the transmission, but it does have to be.You have to pay attention to how the front and rear tracks align.You want the r/r inside the r/f and the l/r outside the l/f .On the spring perches, slide the left forward and the right rearward.This will put some bite in the car when on the gas.

[RodneyEdmundson]

I plan on using wheel offsets to get the widths where I want them. Right now I'm just worried about getting my mounts in the correct position. The rear end I took out was 64", and I'm putting a 60 in its place but they are both centered. I am using the same trailing arms, pullbar and jbar and I'm figuring I can use those as a gauge to get the rearend back to where it should be. I have solid spring perches that have to be on top of the rearend, my left rear is a kick forward mount and the right rear is on top. Everything is solid to the axle tube. So do I angle the perches to where they sit level to the springs at ride height and 7 degree of pinion angle, or do I set them to be level at 0 degrees of pinion angle?

[UltimateRaceCars]

I would set the spring perches flat after your pinion angle is set.

[powerslide]

I cant tell by the description. Is this a 3 link with swedge tubes or require stock lower arms? All the big chassis builders do this on a jig out of the car. They have trial and errored it for years to come to a conclusion where all the stuff should sit.

I agree the perch should be flat at ride height with the pinion angle set.

[RodneyEdmundson]

It is a 3 link with a stock lowers. I guess I could give one of the local chassis builders a call and see what they'd charge to jig it and weld. Although I'd like to do it myself I'd also like it to be done correctly.

[dirtwing]

If your old rearend is still straight make a jig off it.

[RodneyEdmundson]

I talked to a local race shop who does have their own jig, he told me the way I am going about it is the correct way to do it. But, before I pulled the rearend out of the first go around, I should have found a point to to measure from the axle tube to the frame to check my wheel base. And use the bottom of the frame rail and the axle tube as a Guage to measure and simulate ride Heights. You can also use the measurements from the frame rails to the rotors as a measurement of side to side. And yes, the spring perches should be welded flat at ride height with the pinion angle set. He only uses the jig to weld up lowers, the spring perches should be put on while it's under the car. Hope this helps the next person looking to build their own floater, I'd highly recommend doing it to build your car how YOU want it and not how Joe Schmoe had his used floater.

[RodneyEdmundson]

About the old rearend, I have no clue if it's straight, to the naked eye it is, but I wouldn't trust that.

[hatchet]

This is how i check them. You have the rearend out so that will make it easy . Stand the rearend up in a wheel close to the wall . Measure from the wall to the axle . Turn the rearend 1/4 of a turn . Remeasure again . Do this two more times . Now turn the rearend over and do the same again . This will help tell you if its axle housing or the axle its self . Without a jig and and taking the rearend apart one of the ways to check it quick and easy .

[stock car driver]

just put new wheels on your rear and measure across the front and back to see if its bent