Improve your shackle angle

[kastein]

The relocation brackets we are discussing move the shackle into position A. According to that drawing, that stiffens up the spring pack. If that were the case, everyone in this thread wouldn't be talking about how much the ride quality and flex improved. It'd be the exact opposite.

100% agreed.

If you think about it, the best shackle angle for ride quality will be such that the shackle is perpendicular to the datum line at ride height. Same principle as why a low control arm angle is good, it puts all the force into the spring instead of trying to compress the control arm or shackle. The problem is, you have to take into account the fact that the shackle can only swing so far forward or back before it interferes with the chassis. This works out in such a way on an XJ that the best shackle angle is somewhere around 45 degrees tipped back.

 

[muddeprived]

100% agreed.

If you think about it, the best shackle angle for ride quality will be such that the shackle is perpendicular to the datum line at ride height. Same principle as why a low control arm angle is good, it puts all the force into the spring instead of trying to compress the control arm or shackle. The problem is, you have to take into account the fact that the shackle can only swing so far forward or back before it interferes with the chassis. This works out in such a way on an XJ that the best shackle angle is somewhere around 45 degrees tipped back.

But with the brackets, a 45 degree angle with a stock shackle will not work. I'm just throwing this out there in case someone decides to run it at 45 with the stock shackle. If 45 is your desired angle, make sure there's extended shackles on there.

 

[87manche]

I've been wheeling with very little regard for body damage for about 6 months now (mostly in the rocks) and haven't broken my shackles yet. I look at it this way - aftermarket shackles are usually 1/4" plate, leaf springs are designed to flex and are approximately the same thickness per leaf. The shackle box is ~10ga sheetmetal spotwelded to a ~10ga sheetmetal frame rail, a ~14ga sheetmetal rear crossmember, and a ~18ga sheetmetal floor. What's going to bend or break here? My bet is on the unibody.

Oh, and MoparManiac had the same shackles for a few years (I bought them off him used, after the demise of his last rig) and probably got a combined 15 seconds of airtime while he owned them. Good shackles will take almost any abuse you can throw at them.

As for hanging up on stuff - even with the separate lower overload leaf on my OMEs I haven't gotten hung up on them yet, nor the shackles. I've gotten hung up on my front pumpkin, rear pumpkin, tranny crossmember, exhaust, and rear axle shock mounts, from the look of it and the location of the dents and rock scars...

I've killed shackles, stock and aftermarket, and killed main leafs. It took dropping the truck onto the shackle box to finally tear it off the frame of my MJ. It's been wheeled with no body in the back and no regard to body damage for 3 years in the rocks.
FWIW, backing up is usually the problem, and was especially a problem for me because the shackles and leafs were no longer protected by the overhang of the bed. So I backed the shackles and leaves into rocks and such.

Ok, has anybody set the shackle angle 90 degrees to the datum line? What does that look like from the side of the XJ? And what angle will the shackle be to the ground? This obviously depends on amount of lift and will very from Jeep to Jeep...

My shackle angle is attrocious, well it was, it was 90*. It rode like sh!t. I don't care what your photo says, 45* shackle angle works the best for flex and comfort. Real world tested.

 

[Captain_America]

100% agreed.

If you think about it, the best shackle angle for ride quality will be such that the shackle is perpendicular to the datum line at ride height. Same principle as why a low control arm angle is good, it puts all the force into the spring instead of trying to compress the control arm or shackle. The problem is, you have to take into account the fact that the shackle can only swing so far forward or back before it interferes with the chassis. This works out in such a way on an XJ that the best shackle angle is somewhere around 45 degrees tipped back.

Yeah, with the shackle in the B position, looks the leaf would raise the jeep up before you got much movement from the shackle

 

[Captain_America]

My shackle angle is atrocious, well it was, it was 90*. It rode like sh!t. I don't care what your photo says, 45* shackle angle works the best for flex and comfort. Real world tested.

hahahah True Story

 

[94xjstud]

But with the brackets, a 45 degree angle with a stock shackle will not work. I'm just throwing this out there in case someone decides to run it at 45 with the stock shackle. If 45 is your desired angle, make sure there's extended shackles on there.

Why won't it work? Is the stock shackle too wide and short?

 

[muddeprived]

Why won't it work? Is the stock shackle too wide and short?

Yes.

I set mine for 45 degrees and it rode great...until I loaded the spare and toolbox back in the cargo then it rode like crap. The shackle was resting on the backside of the brackets. It doesn't go back any further than this:

That's only like 150 lbs of cargo.

So I had to set it back to 70-ish degrees until I can get some extended shackles. I could cut the backside of the brackets off but I would lose possible adjustment slots if I make changes in the future.

 

[Jeep450r]

Cut the bracket where it hits

 

[Captain_America]

OK.

Why not make the bracket with the holes in it as wide as needed to clear the shackle??? You'd just need some spacers up top to keep the shackle centered....

 

[muddeprived]

OK.

Why not make the bracket with the holes in it as wide as needed to clear the shackle??? You'd just need some spacers up top to keep the shackle centered....

That's true and it would work but that's not how Brian makes his brackets. I'll just deal with it till i swap out the springs for 3" OME's and get some extended shackles.

 

[crimsondragon]

Yes.

I set mine for 45 degrees and it rode great...until I loaded the spare and toolbox back in the cargo then it rode like crap. The shackle was resting on the backside of the brackets. It doesn't go back any further than this:

That's only like 150 lbs of cargo.

So I had to set it back to 70-ish degrees until I can get some extended shackles. I could cut the backside of the brackets off but I would lose possible adjustment slots if I make changes in the future.

Have you tried using the hole to the left of it? AKA towards the rear. Just curious if it'll be better if you load it up with cargo.

 

[muddeprived]

Have you tried using the hole to the left of it? AKA towards the rear. Just curious if it'll be better if you load it up with cargo.

That's what I'm using now plus I slid the bracket forward a little bit till I get extended shackles. It's about 70-ish degrees. Better than 90 though....and it doesn't ride as bad. I still liked the 45 angle the best.

 

[Captain_America]

Wonder if he's willing to do another design change?

 

[Captain_America]

Or it would be easy if Brain just sold the upper part that goes into the original pocket and then just buy a piece of square tube (size needed to clear your shackle) drill some holes and cut one side off it.

That's the route I plan to take with mine

 

[BRIANHO13]

Or it would be easy if Brain just sold the upper part that goes into the original pocket and then just buy a piece of square tube (size needed to clear your shackle) drill some holes and cut one side off it.

That's the route I plan to take with mine

Why would you go through that extra work when everything is already done for the exact same results?

Get your shackle angle where you want it with the kit then trim the interfering pieces.

 

[kastein]

That's true and it would work but that's not how Brian makes his brackets. I'll just deal with it till i swap out the springs for 3" OME's and get some extended shackles.

Using spacers would result in a much weaker setup, the further the bracket is from the shackle the more leverage the shackle has on the bolt. I'd rather cut the brackets to fit than have that extra spacer in there.

 

[muddeprived]

Using spacers would result in a much weaker setup, the further the bracket is from the shackle the more leverage the shackle has on the bolt. I'd rather cut the brackets to fit than have that extra spacer in there.

True. I didn't think about that. Guess that's why he doesn't make his brackets like that LOL.

 

[GREASYHANDS]

Are these still on the market? Im looking for a set for my cherokee.

 

[rockthrasherxj]

you could always go the route i did and use a yj style shackle conversion similar to hdo but seems better imo. check out battlementfab's website for them they work amazing and dont hinder shackle movement

 

[userbmx1315]

they still are. love mine. i'm doing an axle swap and stretching the rear, so these allow me to re-adjust it as needed.

t-frady just lost alot of weight and his jeep gained 3" of lift in the rear. quick adjustment and hes back to where he needs to be. (but he made his, by getting a few ideas from my hd-offroad ones)