(TOM) Shackle Flip

[derf]

Ok, so we can do a SOA in the front. How about flipping from a suspension shackle to a lift shackle in the rear?

How much lift should I expect? Do I have to custom fab or is there a kit? How does it affect ride and handling?

[ November 05, 2001: Message edited by: Sitting Bull ]

[River Beast]

This has got to be the most elaborate modification I have accomplish thus far. I know shackle flips are common on other rigs, but I have done more than the just the shackles. I have dropped the entire rear suspension 7" to compensate for the SOA up front because I don't like using lift blocks.


I had done alot of math, several different times with several different designs, before deciding on the best one. It took about a week of paperwork (drawings and math), a bunch of encouragement from friends and fellow FSJers and about 80 hours of labor involving cutting, fabricating, welding, measuring and lots of "head scratching" (hehe) to complete the rear suspension mods. All said and done... it works!!! I had three separate designs in all before finalizing the finished product. A lot of hard work, patience and determination DOES pay off!

The inversion bracket for the rear shackle was fabricated from ¼” thick 3.5” box steel cut and drilled to specs I had formulated during the “head scratching” days in the beginning. This is the final design… yes…it’s a bolt-on application. No welding is required on the part of the installer, just the manufacturer, (me!).

The front hanger of the rear spring was much more in detail than the rear to design. It needed to be strong and re-enforce the remaining portion of the factory mount. Again I used the ¼” thick 3.5” box steel to fab the mount. I re-enforced it with 2.5” angle iron. And again… this is the final design. As it’s sister mount, this too, is a bolt-on application after removing the about ¾” off the bottom of the factory mount with an angle grinder.

No lift blocks, see?

One of the reasons it took as long as it did for me to be satisfied was the fact that I want it safe and strong. One of the strong points of this modification is it’s not set up to be permanent. I haven’t tried this yet but, I figure within a 8-10 hour period, I could easily revert back to the factory mounting positions in the rear as well as the swapping the SOA up front. The other mods that have been done to my FSJ to accommodate the monster lift are also easy to revert… like the shock mounts. The factory brackets are still in tact and useable…front brackets get removed and plates just get re-bolted to the frame. Some day I will revert back to have EXTREME fun with a set of 33’s…4.89’s will be WILD with 33’s I’m sure!

I hope this helps...

[jeepbob]

Those of us with early (pre 71 for sure possible until 74, a little help here please)rigs have it much easier. All we have to do for a shackle flip is jack pu the frame, unbolt the spring from the shackle, jack up the frame a little more, flip the shackle over, and bolt the spring back to the shackle. Of course it is much tougher to do a susp lift like RB did. although now that I think about it, it could be done as a bolt or weld on fairly simply by making a drop bracket that went over the front mounting post and bolted or welded to the bottom of the rail for strength and then used lift shackles in the rear. I think this is what I will do to level out my rig when I finally finish the SOA. Thanks RB.

[River Beast]

One thing to remember when flipping a pre-74 post type rear shackle... when this is all you do, you will change the angle of suspension operation alot, thus moving your wheels forward by about 1-2". To correct this, you can grind off the factory rivets holding the post mount to the frame, make a new mounting plate that you can attach to the frame and drop this post mount dount to the location needed to level the springs back out after doing the flip...

I have seen just the flip done on the rear and after a good flex and droop it shot up to the orignal position.... relocating the post lower on the frotn would keep the flip in it's proper position.

[jeepbob]

RB,
The forward movement is about 1 inch, when I did the flip I also added a couple of extra leaves so I do not have the droop unflip problem even on a very hard landing after being airborne Jst gringing off the rivets will not allow the post to come out as it goes thru the frame rail and is welded to the rail. I moved these once and it was a BIG pain in the rear and I would never do it again. I would cut them off and put a different style on first.

[River Beast]

Jeepbob,

...understood..... I do realize how much of a P.I.T.A certain things can be to modify....I got the t-shirt once or twice...

[la mula pescadora]

i started doing my shackle flip about a month ago and i still havent finished it really is a little complicated a lot of mesuring and math involve i will defently recomend the shaclke flip but bolt it don't welded or just tack it and make sure u have all level out if not ur are going to have fun trying to unweld everything

[shadowjeep]

hey RB, whats the odds on you fabbing up some of mounts? id like to do the flip for the future installation of revolver shackles. im not a fabricator. are there an easier route on this? dumb question, i know.

[oldyellowwagoneer]

If RB doesnt have time to make you some just go to a wrecking yard and get 4 front spring hangars from a 80's dodge 4x4.Weld them under the spring buckets just like RB has his.Make sure to mount the shackle mount forward about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2" depending on shackle length.This is probably the cheapest way to go.Thats how I did it!!
SCOUTGRL

[derf]

Hey River Beast,

Is there any way you can write up the designs for those parts you built and put them in a picture file of some kind? If it is truly bolt on, I may want to fab some of them and bolt them on mine. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I found a line on a rear Dana 70 to replace my AMC 20 so I can put some real tires on when I lift.

Oh, and what size tire should fit with the SOA/Shackle flip lift?

[River Beast]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Rick:
hey RB, whats the odds on you fabbing up some of mounts? id like to do the flip for the future installation of revolver shackles. im not a fabricator. are there an easier route on this? dumb question, i know.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I am planning on making kits... I have a list of members here that are patiently waiting..thanks guys for your patience.

The only tools needed for the install are common handtools and an angle grinder to remove some uneeded metal on the front and rear.... most of the grinding is on the front mount. IT's quite easy.... I have to finalize the "destructions" and get a chop saw...I have aquired the rest of the tools already, drill press, bench grinder, welder and other little things that make life easy. Then I have to go into Los Angeles to get materails.... no metal shops around with the selection I need.

[newbie]

RB, you gave me these before, but I'm afraid I misplaced them...Could you give me the dimensions of your re-located hardware??? (eg. how far down is the new spring hangar from the orig. position, how far forward is the new shackle mount, and how far down did you make it?)

[derf]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by River Beast:
I am planning on making kits... I have a list of members here that are patiently waiting..thanks guys for your patience.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ooooh. Kits even. How much? When do you expect them to be ready?

[Lindel]

Todd, add me to the list of patient customers!!

Tell me how much, when the time comes, and we'll go from there.

BTW, did I mention you do good work?

[blt2krl]

I have a dumb question. why can't you just cut off the bottom plate on the shackle mount , flip the shackle and weld a new plate to the top of the shackle mount? Sheed some lite on this for me. You guys talk about math calculations. What are you calculting. One more question I have is, can you do a shackle flip on a vehicle that doesn't have a spring over in the front. I want the rusty 6 in and would like to not run blocks in the rear. Would I get 2in with a shackle flip or miore like 4 to 6 in? I apoligize for my lack of knowledge on this subject.