Improve your shackle angle

[89xj]

I dont know whats the deal with this but I am having problem with this on my XJ

When I flex, the shackle dont drop very much due the the bushings dont actually made to have that MUCH of torsion movement.

the part that bother the hell out of me that after I jacked up right rear bumper with hi-lift jack to change the tire on right rear then i dropped it down. I was like what the hell, the XJ have MAJOR leaning right now. the right side's much higher than left side and the axle has been shifted to the right lot too.

What the deal? :soapbox:

shackles dont drop, they pivot. also dont over torque a bushing bolt and cause binding.

as for the lean, maybe you bent the bumper mount and the bumper isnt level??

 

[Chili Palmer]

Did you invert your shackle when you jacked it up; that's where I'd start at. Then I'd loosen the shackle bolts a little and put the Jeep on all four THEN tighten everything. Sometimes if you overtighten the bolts they won't sit right.

 

[aparke4]

post up a pic - chances are something may not be 100 %

 

[95' heep]

this... all pic with the hi-lift jacked up the jeep, the tire on the side with the jack are actually lifted off ground, not lot of flex at all.

left side

right side (that side stick out)

right side (i know I need to notch the bracket, but this has nothing to do with just sitting level crooked)

left side

left side

right side

left side low, right side higher

the leveler proves that im not retarded

right side jacked, tire's off the ground

right side shackle position with that side jacked up

left side

as you can see, the axle remain generally very parallel to the body even I dont have any sway bar anywhere.

thoughts? I'd really like it to work, I dont like the idea that I wasted $145 on something that dont work any better than before.

 

[WheelinJR]

I'd be blaming the springs.

 

[whitexj98]

im pretty sure your shackles are installed backwards, you can see in the pic where its hitting on the right side causing it to make it sit unlevel.

Are those rough country shackles?

 

[BRIANHO13]

this... all pic with the hi-lift jacked up the jeep, the tire on the side with the jack are actually lifted off ground, not lot of flex at all.


as you can see, the axle remain generally very parallel to the body even I dont have any sway bar anywhere.

thoughts? I'd really like it to work, I dont like the idea that I wasted $145 on something that dont work any better than before.

Jacking up the bumper is not the right way to check the flex, you need to lift one tire, all you are doing there is lifting up the entire rear of the jeep.

From the looks of the shackle you also need to notch the bracket, it looks as if you have some interference issues (but you already know that part).

I would also suggest spraying out all that mud out of the leaves and let them both "resettle", you took all the weight off the leaves when you istalled tha brackets and sometimes they need a "work out" to get them to "resettle".

 

[BRIANHO13]

right side shackle position with that side jacked up

If the tire is off the ground in this pic, something else is limiting your droop. Your shocks might not be long enough and / or your shackle bolts are too tight.

The shackle should come all the way forward if everthing is working correctly.

 

[95' heep]

yes they're rough country lift shackles (came with the IRO LA kit)

the shocks arent limiting the droop. I think that the set-up isnt working together properly at the time. I can actually push the tire down when the tire's up in the air a little

The gash on the shackle isnt from contacting the bracket when its sitting level. I am more of concerned that it dont sit level when its parked on a level ground and limited amount of droop at the time.

I didnt torqued everything till I have the jeep's weight sitting on the springs/shackles. I think my best bet is to clean the leaves and lube them up and retorque the bolts (with a torque wrench so it cant be over/under torqued) and see how it does then.

 

[BRIANHO13]

I would suggest driving it around a little too to give the leaves a little workout.

 

[89xj]

the leveler proves that im not retarded

the body being out of level only applies if the axle is level. you need to move the jeep onto a flat level surface like the garage floor(assming the tires are all inflated the same and worn the same amount), not on the snow covered wavey driveway.

there is no way the shackle relocation boxes are causing the problems you think your having if they were installed and adjusted proporly.

 

[techno1154]

If the tire is off the ground in this pic, something else is limiting your droop. Your shocks might not be long enough and / or your shackle bolts are too tight.

The shackle should come all the way forward if everthing is working correctly.

Maybe the length of the springs verses the placement of the shackles on the body is what is limiting your drop. To me, he is not using the normal XJ springs. look closely,... the spring do not have the normal eye. It has a Berlin eye which seem to indicate it may not be springs made for the XJ.

I would move the shaclke forward one hole and trim the shackle bracket where the shackle makes contact with it. You may loose 1/2" to 1" in height and gain a better ride and flex/drop.

 

[95' heep]

The XJ is trail rig/trailer queen so it dont get many miles at all. only time it get used are when I get it on the trails.

It still dont sit level in my clean and even ground in my garage.

The leaf spring packs are from IRO's LA 6.5" lift kit (5.5"lift springs plus shackles so that make it 6.5" btw)

 

[89xj]

i think jacking the bumper up on the right side is twisting the whole unibody and making it look like one side isnt flxing at the shackle. should jack it up from the axle or wheel.

if this is only a trailor queen, why does it matter if it doesnt sit level?

 

[95' heep]

i think jacking the bumper up on the right side is twisting the whole unibody and making it look like one side isnt flxing at the shackle. should jack it up from the axle or wheel.

if this is only a trailor queen, why does it matter if it doesnt sit level?

I probably should just live with it :laugh2:

I will at least try to get it to work properly to get best peformance on the trails

 

[spinnerdog]

I have installed the shackle kit, and it works perfectly. Lots of measurements but it is right. It looks like you might have one of the brackets that attaches the leaf spring backwards.it can happen. or you have two different leaf springs. Haveing the perch uneven will really cause the unlevel that you have. Look at the pic's on page 15 one bracket is further back on the mount than the other I dont remember which but I think the driveside was back more than the pass.

 

[95' heep]

I have none of this problem before the relocate kit, as well right after I installed them. I went to Cliffs for new year and all this chaos has started after.

I am not saying y'all BS'in but I'll need to take a good look at them, I just finished the construction in the garage so the Jeep is back in there so I will find out soon.

 

[outlander]

The XJ is trail rig/trailer queen so it dont get many miles at all. only time it get used are when I get it on the trails.

It still dont sit level in my clean and even ground in my garage.

The leaf spring packs are from IRO's LA 6.5" lift kit (5.5"lift springs plus shackles so that make it 6.5" btw)

Your spring is bent on the drivers side right at the eye!!!(look at the pic below)
No wonder it sits lower on the drivers side.....Maybe after "cliffs" is when it got bent?

 

[FlexdXJ]

Your spring is bent on the drivers side right at the eye!!!(look at the pic below)
No wonder it sits lower on the drivers side.....Maybe after "cliffs" is when it got bent?

Yeah Dude, he's right look at your driver side pic and your passenger side pic and you can tell a BIG difference!

 

[RedChuck]

no its not the one is caked with dirt the other is clear they look identical to me and what about the front mount? is it mangled?