Years ago, we saw someone use their smartphone as a level for carpentry projects, and we all thought it was cool. We wondered how it worked, and with some research we found out that it was an application that was downloaded to the smartphone which based its readings on the accelerometer inside the phone itself.

A typical accelerometer is a small, three-axis device that can measure movement and gravitational pull in all directions. But inside a smartphone it’s a chip with a tiny accelerometer made with silicon, and it works by using movement and gravitational pull much like a typical accelerometer. This is how your smartphone knows which direction is up and how to rotate the screen

To use the level app, first find a surface that you know is level, and all other measurements are compared to that original setting – so you must know at least one level surface to make your base setting. So what does any of this have to do with us gearheads? Well, you know there’s a tie in, and TREMEC has made that connection for us.

That same smartphone technology for the level app can also used for automotive applications, and TREMEC has has done so with their new Driveline Angle Finder App for smartphones. This downloadable app allows you to measure the driveline angle on your driveshaft relative to the transmission and pinion yokes.

With this simple app you will be given easy to follow instructions to determine whether your driveline angle is set properly. A bad driveline angle can mean noise and/or vibration from your driveline, and can even cause premature universal joint failure.

You can spend money on other gadgets to measure the driveline angle – some cheap, some expensive. But the new app from TREMEC doesn’t require you to break out the credit cards or fork over any cash, because it’s a free app that you can download to your smartphone.

The app is available for both the Android and the iPhone, and you do have to have IOS7 on your iPhone or Android 4.0, so make sure you’re phone is up to date with the correct operating system.

The cool thing about this app is that your car doesn’t have to be level to the ground because you’re taking measurements relative to your base setting. Simply raise one end of the car (and support it with jack stands, of course) and measure the angle of the transmission yoke first, then the driveshaft itself, and finally the pinion yoke.

If it all checks out, you’re given three green readings letting you know that it passed. One bad angle, and you end up with red readings explaining where the problem lies in your driveline. It also includes explanations for the findings.

This simple app can be downloaded in minutes, and it takes just a few minutes to check out your driveline angle. As you can see in the video above, it’s an easy process and takes only minutes. If you’re interested in getting this free app for your phone, just do a search on “TREMEC”, or visit TREMEC’s website for more information.