Bro-Quo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Chicago, IL
ordering mine in a week or 2.
Improve your shackle angle
- Thread starter Dirk Pitt
- Start date
talontsi_95
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Ohio
Just ordered mine. Hoping the rear will flex better and finally can pick up that 1" of lift my rear has lost due to sagging. Ill keep everyone posted on my impressions of the product.
Bro-Quo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Chicago, IL
Sure, but that's not what this fixes.
RedHeep
NAXJA #1499
- Location
- Landenberg, PA
These brackets are not revolvers. They aren't shackle replacements. The intention is not to increase your droop, it's to improve the angle of your shackle when attached to a lifted rear leaf spring.
When your shackle is vertical after installing a lifted leaf spring, the upwards movement in your suspension causes the leaf spring to lengthen but the shackle doesn't rotate to the rear. This causes the rough lifted ride common to lifted jeeps with leaf springs.
Brian's brackets move the mount axis of the shackle forward and down, which returns your shackles to their original stock angle. So when your suspension moves up and down, the shackle allows the spring to lengthen and shorten. This greatly improves the ride quality.
A byproduct is usually increased movement of your rear suspension, which as you described, is limited by a lot of other things as well.
DeftwillP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Round Rock TX
Good point. I'll take my lift kit off this weekend cause I don't want to replace my stock shocks and they're limiting me.
Ogrebonz
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Williamsburg, Michigan
Bro-Quo
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Chicago, IL
Agreed
Question... I have ~4-5 inch of lift currently. I run 1 inch RE shackles on ~4 inch leafs.
My shackle angle is fine as is (angled back), but when it compresses, the shackle bumps up against the stock shackle box.
So, I was thinking of running these brackets so that when leafs compress and the shackle moves backward, it won't interfere with the stock shackle mount.
But, I don't want any more lift.
I was thinking of running these brackets, but replacing the 1 inch shackles with stock length shackles, so in net, I wouldn't have any gain in height.
Would that be a good idea, or is there anything I am overlooking?
Thanks!
My shackle angle is fine as is (angled back), but when it compresses, the shackle bumps up against the stock shackle box.
So, I was thinking of running these brackets so that when leafs compress and the shackle moves backward, it won't interfere with the stock shackle mount.
But, I don't want any more lift.
I was thinking of running these brackets, but replacing the 1 inch shackles with stock length shackles, so in net, I wouldn't have any gain in height.
Would that be a good idea, or is there anything I am overlooking?
Thanks!
muddeprived
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
You will make it worse. I run the stock shackles and they don't have enough room to swivel enough due to their short length and width.
This is what happens when the rear is loaded down. No more uptravel and rough ride.
Just image what happens when you flex it. I had to put my shackles near vertical angle just to keep them from hitting the rear and allow me to get more uptravel. I was thinking of cutting the rear portion of the bracket off to allow more swivel room for the shackles but decided against it because I might need to make adjustments with it in the future and cutting it will limit how much I can adjust it. Stock shackles are just too short and wide.
Andy at IronMan makes boomerange stock shackles that might let us get away with using stock length.
http://www.ironman4x4fab.com/Jeep_XJ_Shackles/XJ_FRLS(1).html
- Location
- San Diego
it doesnt really give you a full inch of lift, more like 1/2-3/4'' at most. is having the rear up by that much more really a big deal?
muddeprived
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
It actually depends on how you set the shackle angle. If you go from vertical to 45 degrees, you'll net about 3/4". If you go from vertical to vertical or 45 to 45, then you will net 1.5" or so.
- Location
- San Diego
true, it is possible but,
a) how many people set shackle angle vertical with the brackets?
b) not many people get a 45* shackle angle with aftermarket leafs and no brackets
a) how many people set shackle angle vertical with the brackets?
b) not many people get a 45* shackle angle with aftermarket leafs and no brackets
muddeprived
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
You are right there but i was referring to Ocean_jet cuz he said he had a good shackle angle and wanted to try the brackets. If he keeps the same shackle angle, he'll net about 1.5".
I got the brackets to fix my crappy vertical angle from the RC leaf springs BUT ran into the problem where the stock shackle hits the back of the brackets. I netted about 1/2-3/4" of lift but I had to put the shackle back close to vertical for now just until I got some boomerange shackles and cuz of that, the rear went up almost 1.25".
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
Can you move that bracket forward any more? I would move it forward some more and see if that lets the shackle move more.
Also, I'm not sure stock length boomerang shackles are going to do you any good. The shackle ears are 2.5" wide to go around the leaf spring, so is the relocation bracket, you may gain slightly from not having the "neck" of the shackle sitting on the bracket but instead the ears/leaf bolt will sit on the bracket. You're going to have to use a longer shackle or cut the relocation bracket I think.
Also, I'm not sure stock length boomerang shackles are going to do you any good. The shackle ears are 2.5" wide to go around the leaf spring, so is the relocation bracket, you may gain slightly from not having the "neck" of the shackle sitting on the bracket but instead the ears/leaf bolt will sit on the bracket. You're going to have to use a longer shackle or cut the relocation bracket I think.
muddeprived
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
I tried moving the bracket and playing with the endless possible setups with it but it's either vertical and no bind or angled and binding during uptravel.
I see what you mean about the boomerang setup. I wasn't thinking about the width of the ears and you are probably right that it still won't work. i guess my only solution is longer shackles or cut the brackets like you said.
- Location
- Rainy side of Washington
Measure/compare and make sure, but when I eyeballed it on my rig, it looked like the shackle pocket on the frame (and thus the shackle relocation bracket) inside diameter is the same as the inside diameter of the shackle ears. Should be pretty obvious if you look at it from below/behind the shackle.
muddeprived
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- PA
yeah they are the same. If you look at my pix in post 370 (i think) you'll see how the leaf spring can fit into the relocation bracket but the stock shackle ear is just too wide. That picture shows how far it can go up before it hits. It's resting on the shackle.
DeftwillP
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Round Rock TX
I bought the "slightly modified" set that someone was selling a few pages pack. He had cut off the strips that bolt in at the frame rails. My father and I measured everything up and used some 1/4" plate with 3 holes on one side for the frame bolts and 2 on the other for mating the two bracket parts together. Once it was bolted up and marked in the right place, we dropped the assembled 3 pieces and welded them all together as one piece.
Obviously, this places the new plate 1/4" lower than it would be in HDO's original set up so we had to bolt it on after the trailer hitch. So, we haven't welded the assembled bracket piece to the stock shackle pocket. I can't see how it would be a problem though.
Obviously, this places the new plate 1/4" lower than it would be in HDO's original set up so we had to bolt it on after the trailer hitch. So, we haven't welded the assembled bracket piece to the stock shackle pocket. I can't see how it would be a problem though.
