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Looking at doing a shackle flip.

nad

nad

1/2 ton status
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
Posts
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Location
Festus, MO
Okay, right now I have a 4" lift with some pretty tired leaf springs w/ rear helper springs. It's sitting on a 4" block right now and I'm pretty confident that I'm ready to tackle a shackle flip and ditch the blocks. I just have a few questions about doing this.

First off, if I buy the normal 4" shackle flip and use 4.5" shackles from Kert, will my rear be too high and look goofy compared to the 4" front? Also, will I need to lengthen drivelines or brake lines with that extra 1/2 inch?

Second thing I'm worried about is, should I worry about shackle angle? I see a lot of people putting shackle flips on and some have horrible shackle angles, and others are fine. Will I most definitely have to swap to bigger springs if I use a shackle flip?

I'm just looking to get more flex out of my suspension. Those blocks are horrible. Thanks guys.
 
if youve already got the lift and are good with brake lines and drivehsafts 1/2 inch isnt gonna comprimise much. i have an addaleaf in my rear springs and the shackle angle sucks. remove the helper spring and get some 56s and add a zero rate and shackle to help you out with the saggy butt.
then you may need longer brake lines for the wicked flex youll have.
 
That's the thing, I didn't want to have to go straight into swapping in 56's and all that other stuff right away. Could I just pull 56's off a truck at the scrap yard and swap them right in? What else has to be modified to swap in 56's?
 
Hmm, well if that's the case I guess that wouldn't be too bad. I just don't have a ton of money and was just planning on buying a shackle flip and calling it good for now. But it looks like I'll have no choice but to swap in 56's. Anyone else have any info on this?
 
You don't have to use 56" springs, only if you want extra flex over stock springs. The shackle flips are supposed to give you pretty good shackle angle so if you're just replacing the 4" blocks, then it's probably fine.
 
I guess I'll try it with my factory springs, and if that fails, then I guess it wouldn't be too hard to run to Pick N Pull and grab a good set of 56's. I'm just trying not to spend a ton of money right now since I have other amenities to spend it on. My girlfriend wants to buy me a v-day present so I asked for a shackle flip :)

So I would be fine using the 4.5 inch shackles from Kert? Or should I just use my factory shackles and just buy the flip kit?
 
So I basically won't "need" them right away? Why would anyone need them unless the factory ones break or they need that extra whopping 1/2" of lift?
 
IIRC, with Kert's shackle flip you will need new shackles (that's the switch part of the flip 'n switch). With ORD's flip you can keep the stock shackle (but why would you want to???). You will also need to swap the flip brakets side to side to run 56" springs.
 
Well I'm planning on putting my flip on and seeing if I've got a horrible angle. Then if I do, it wouldn't be much trouble to swap the flip from side to side, and buy some 56's from the junkyard.

He sells the flip n switch without the shackles. It's like 35 more with shackles. I'll probably just get the shackles anyway, since they'll be stronger, and get me that extra 1/2" lift, maybe that'll help my saggy butt. If not, I'll have to use some zero rates I guess.
 
nad said:
I'll probably just get the shackles anyway, since they'll be stronger, and get me that extra 1/2" lift, maybe that'll help my saggy butt. If not, I'll have to use some zero rates I guess.
Click to expand...
Or buy new stock size springs,then you`d have 4" lift in the rear.And should ride better than your old worn out springs.Some one has to have them cheap like LMC,JC Whitney or rockauto....
 
I kept stock springs and my shackle angle is nearly ughh whats the right term vertical? Well either way they are basically straight up and down angle out maybe 5 or 10 degrees back. I believe I read that a perfect shackle angle is 30*

I've been out of geometry for way too long... Either way I think my problem is that my stepside bed doesnt way enough.
 
Yeah, I guess the only way to find out is to put the shackle flip on and play with the angle. I was thinking I could buy stockers and do it that way, but I'll just see how these work for now.
 
With our shackle flip you have to ditch the factory shackle. honestly they aren't difficult to make for yourself so the kit is offered without.

4.5" shackle is a good place to start with 52's. They are .5" longer than stock for a difference of .25" of lift however, once you figure in a little for the improved shackle angle you'll be back to the 4".

As to what shackle angle is perfect, I don't believe there is such a thing. 5 to 10* isn't bad if your gona load it down with equipment and gear. It all depends on how you use your rig and what you are trying to get your suspension to do. That being said, straight up and down can be an issue. The shackle can "bind" up before the breakover center occurs.

My two rigs carry different angles. Crewcab, no load, maybe 5*. Blazer in trail trim, closer to 20*.

Now, if ya get some 4.5" shackles from us and can try them out without painting them, and decide you want a 5", 6" or whatever, call me and arrange it. You can send them back and we'll swap you out.
 
Im new too all this so please dont laugh too much whilst typing away at your computer, what is a shackle flip? i have an idea to what it is. i ask because i hate how my blazer seems to sag a little in the rear. i had a lift done at my local off road shop about four years ago, im pretty sure it was just a straight forward 6" lift nothin fancy. is it normal for the rear to seem kinda plain lookin almost sagging like?
 
Depends what kind of "straight forward" lift they did. If it was some crazy old school 6" blocks then a sag in the back is common because you still have your worn out old springs back there with brand new 6" springs on the front. If it was a 4" block and a helper leaf then yes it still may sag depending on how bad the stock springs were. Could've been 6 inch springs but then it shouldn't sag much as they are new springs as well.
 
Howlong, if you look up under the back of your truck, you will see that the truck "hangs" from the bottom of the rear shackle. That is the stock tension type shackle with the spring on the top and the frame bracket on the bottom of the shackle. A shackle flip switches everything around so that the spring attaches to the bottom of the shackle and the frame bracket attaches to the top. That makes it a compression type shackle like at the rear of the front springs. Most shackle flips provide about 4" of lift on these trucks while re-using the stock springs.
 
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