Pinion angle question

If you just slam don't want to pull it back out, here's how to do it. Center the rear end as I described above. Install the U bolts and shock plates and torque them to spec. 45 LB FT. Support the car by the rear axle housing in the rear and the lower control arms in the front. In other words, on the suspension. Level the frame rails front to back and side to side.

Now, Put your angle finder on a known dedicated parallel surface to the pinion center line. I always turn the yoke so the u joint saddle is vertical and put the angle finder on the bottom and straight with the car's center line. Take a look at the reading.

Now, get your floor jack and place it under the rear end center on the housing behind the yoke so as not to disturb the angle finder. Just lightly bring the jack against the housing. Just enough to hold it up, because you're fixin to loosen the shock plate nuts.

Now, loosen the shock plate nuts just enough so you can rotate the housing to achieve the correct reading on the angle finder. The reading you're looking for now, it NOT 3-5*. It is whatever the transmission output shaft is, but in the opposite direction.