Shackle Angle

[2000bluexj]

As we all know, with a lift spring installed and a longer shackle the shackle angle is crappy. i know mine sits pretty cloe to 90 degrees. That doesnt help rear articulation. I would like to fix my angle, and make it more like the recommended 45 degrees. I applied some trig to the shackle and the new angle, and i found that in order to get a 45 degree angle, i would have to move the hole down about 1.5 inches, and forward about 3.5 inches the shackle would then sit at 45 degrees while retaining my current ride hieght. I started thinking tho..... This measurement is WITHOUT weight on the springs. How would i go about figuring the amount the spring compresses from no weight to weighted so i can position my shackle in the correct location for it to sit at 45 degrees weighted. If my thinking is correct, if i make the new bracket the measurements above, wouldnt the shackle like hit the frame with weight on it?

 

[CanMan]

You could do something similar to this.

http://www.go.jeep-xj.info/HowtoRearLeafMounts.htm

Or, cut off your current box, and move the holes foward on the frame, if you dont want to drop it down any farther.

 

[xj92]

Here's how I did mine:

S-10 leaf pack with an extra S-10 main as an AAL and the XJ overload leaf instead of the S-10 overload, attached to JKS boomerang shackles. I tried running an XJ main as the AAL at first, but the arch wasn't the same and it didn't provide any lift other than the thickness of the leaf. The leaves and shackles provide about 3.5" of lift and ride way better than the old Skyjacker AAL I used to run. C-ROK rear bumper is already clearanced for this shackle travel, but you could clearance any other bumper as well. It improved the shackle angle due to the longer springs and gave me some more rear flex. I had to re-drill the center pin hole in the leaves but that was it. Here are some pictures.
[URL=http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561084468fgulvv][/URL].
Click the thumbnail.

 

[freerider15]

How I did mine...

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=101028