2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Hey guys got a question on shackles. Wright now I have a 6 inch shackle from bolt to bolt hole that came with the RC 4.5 lift. Just wondering what your guys think if I put a 2 inch shackle on it? I would like to stay with boomerang like what I have now but the 2 inch only comes in the strait kind. If I had to I would put the strait ones on. Thanks

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Looking to lower the truck a little?
No harm in replacing a 6" with a 2".

Just be sure if you make your own shackles out of something, be sure it's not some low grade soft steel.
One option is to take a stroll through your local junkyard and just pick a pair of 2" shackles off something if you don't already have a set.

They don't have to come from the same type and year vehicle either. Pretty much a shackle is a shackle... You might have to drill the hole a little larger in some, but they'll work.

if it were me wanting to lower things down to 2".... simply drill a new set of holes in your existing 6" shackles at your desired 2" and just trim the excess length off.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Are you listing length center of bolt hole to center of bolt hole or overall length? Or are you talking about 6" over stock length vs 2" over stock length? It makes a huge difference. :lol:

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

I am looking to lift it another 1 or 2. The shackle on there right now is 6 inches from bolt hole to bolt hole. I am wanting to lift it with a 2 inch shackle that you would buy. I thought about taking the shackle I have now and use them as a template and make one that is 2 inches longer manly because I want the boomerang shape.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Depending on the length of the leaf spring and the location of the center pin you could get anywhere from 1/4-3/4" of lift for every inch of shackle length added.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

The way it read I thought you were looking to replace a 6" shackle with a 2"

But if you are asking about moving to a 8" shackle?

Eeek... Not sure I would. Not unless you used something like a shooter shackle to grab the desired overall 8"

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Not all shackles are oriented the same way. Sometimes reducing the hanger generates lift. Depends on the orientation. All i would say is to make sure you calculated the distance your leafs will be when they are flat. And make sure a 2" shackle will still allow for that distance. What is this boomerang shackle you speak of?

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Yeah thinking about going to a 8 inch. A boomerang shackle looks kind like a boomerang. I want the boomerang so that I don't have to worry about the shackle flipping and bending the springs.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

What rig are you wanting to put these shackles on?

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

My 1995 wrangler. I seam to have this problem where I can't leave anything alone.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

The shape of the shackles means nothing. The angle the shackles are at is what matters. Look at the two bolts on the shackles...create an imaginary line between the two bolts....that's your shackle angle.

Without changing the solid hanger or spring length...

Longer shackles will result in a steeper angle. Steeper angle will result in a stiffer ride and more chance of it flipping backwards.

Shorter shackles will result in less angle. Less angle will result in a softer ride and less chance of it flipping backwards.


On a car like some old Chevys where the shackles are inverted, those principles are reversed.

Ideally, a shackle angle of 45 degrees is best IMO. That, IMHO, gives you the best ride quality and handling out of a leaf spring. Weather you are off roading or just driving the pavement, I'd shoot for a 45 degree angle.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

No. Just no. You'll lose whatever caster you have left in the front and the rig will wander like hell. Wtf do you "need" extra height for anyway? Yj's look and perform best with minimal lift.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Just for example...my old rock buggy... With 4" lift leaf springs, a 45 degrees shackle and the correct amount of castor... I could wheel it and it worked great, could also hit the interstate at 70 and take my hands off the wheel, take curves relatively well for having soft flexy springs...

WHITE TRASH hit on a very important part. You HAVE to keep your castor angle in check. The Chevy axle I put under my Toyota was set at 5 degrees of castor ( if I remember correctly). I spent a good deal of time and effort making sure whatever I did building my buggy that I kept that castor angle correct. It was worth it. It handled amazingly well for having soft springs and 37" bias ply boggers on it. I would suggest finding out what your castor angle should be, then build accordingly to keep that angle within a degree or two of what it should be. It's well worth the effort and cost in the end. Plus, crazy castor angle could make you dead. There's a reason the angle is set where it's supposed to be.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Jeep set the caster at 3-4* but they are happier at 7*. With 6" lift shackles already installed he's lucky to have 2* at this point. :lol:

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Ok I was just looking for a little more ground clearing with body and frame.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Some basic Trig comes into play in determining the amount of "lift" you get from a longer shackle.

Connect the imaginary line between the 2 bolts hole in the shackle that Reflection talks about. Now make an imaginary line from the top bolt of the shackle to the bolt where the rear of the leaf spring bolts to the frame, and make one last imaginary line from that bolt, back to the lower bolt hole of the shackle. The 3 lines form a triangle. Now, by increasing the length (distance) of the shackle (by 2" in your case) , you should be able to "see" that the point where the axle attaches to the leaf spring ( represented by the bottom line of the triangle) doesn't increase 2".

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Bigger tires and a sawzall works too.

Re: 2 inch shackle on 4 inch lift
 

Don't get me wrong I love to put 35 and do a soa swap with the 4 inch lift and the ford 8.8 but that's way to big for what I am going to use it for. But for sum resin it just staring to look small with 4.5 suspension lift 1.25 body and 33 12.50 15. Must be me lol.