Made some shackle flip brackets today...pics *updated with more pics*

[tRustyK5]

I'm making some slow progress on my truck...last weekend I got one 2.5" alcan spring under the rear of my truck. It looks a bit goofy now, but that's temporary. What I found was that my old homebrew shackle flip just wasn't going to cut it with the new springs. Check out the free arch in comparison to a 57" ford spring (which also has a ton of free arch)

After moving the modified stock spring hanger back to it's stock location i was able to get the spring bolted up, but my shackle angle sucked. Also, with the bottom of a stock hanger cut out it doesn't provide for enough shackle swing.

So, I built myself a couple of shackle flip brackets today after work.

I also sprung for a decent floorjack and some 6 ton jack stands...The floorjack is rated for 7000 lbs and lifts 22.5" high. You can also see the old homebrew shackle flip in this pic.

Tomorrow I hope to get both these brackets and the second rear spring under the truck...should look like a stinkbug until I can find time to swap in the fronts.

rene

 

[ryoken]

That's some purdy welding there....

 

[tRustyK5]

Thank you, it helps to have a good machine...and the machines at work are very good.

Rene

 

[Avery4jc]

Those are beautiful...where do you work?

-Avery

 

[tRustyK5]

A fab/machine shop that builds aircraft tooling etc etc. I'm shop foreman, which means I don't actually get to fabricate or weld very often lately...this was a treat. Took me 2 1/2 hours to build those.

Rene

 

[Avery4jc]

A fab/machine shop that builds aircraft tooling etc etc. I'm shop foreman, which means I don't actually get to fabricate or weld very often lately...this was a treat. Took me 2 1/2 hours to build those.

Rene

cool, so those shackles were probably a walk in the park for you.

-Avery

 

[k30bb468]

Pretty cool​

 

[dremu]

That's *welding*!

-- A

 

[fireplug]

Jealousy reigns supreme! Nice work.

 

[shane74]

Very nice, very clean! Looks great Rene!

 

[Cricket]

It would be nice to steal your brain and accompanying welding skills. Very clean.

Feel free to send me a pair for testing at Moab.

 

[cbbr]

Those look great.

 

[Can Can]

Looking good, Rene!!!

Do you have any pics of the truck from when you installed the Alcan on the one corner?

 

[tRustyK5]

No pic's of it sitting one corner high. I'll snap a bunch more tomorrow as I work on it. Mostly a comparison of the homebrew versus purpose built shackle flip, shackle angles etc etc.

Rene

 

[tRustyK5]

Update. Got both rear springs in with the new shackle flip brackets...so I got some more pic's.

First pic shows the horrid shackle angle at full droop. The angle was so bad the shackle would invert when you started jacking the diff up again. This was the push I needed to build my own shackle flip brackets...

This is how the shackle angle was with the 57's...

This is the full droop angle with the new shackle flip bracket, nowhere near to inverting although i will be adding a small stop plate as some added insurance.

This is the shackle angle with the weight of the truck on the springs. Not quite as angled back as I wanted, but the truck doesn't have the hardtop, rear seat or any tools in it so it will compress and angle back more.

A shot of the shackle flip bracket installed. I managed to install them without dropping the tank...what a PITA!!!

And finally, a 'stinkbug' shot. 6.5" lift in the rear...sagged 4" up front

Gonna have to run 42's now...

Rene

 

[Can Can]

It's finally starting to come together, Rene. Your install looks really tidy. Good job, brother!!!

 

[muddybuddy]

very nice!