84_Chevy_K10
Banned
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Yup, but there is proof that you are wrong about this. This is a technical point of fact so there is no room for opinion, just facts about how a shackle system works.
All things totalled up, the overall package is what makes a tow rig work. You have to have a good trailer because a trailer that bounces all over the place is going to be miserable. You have to have good shocks with reasonable leverage against them. You have to have a stiff enough spring to handle the tongue weight without excess ride height changes. You have to have a stiff enough tire to handle the load without excess squirm or bounce.
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1. I don't think so. Although this is a debate of technical fact, I do think there is one conclusion you need to draw from all of this, and it would be the answer to only one question. "Despite the tradeoff, is it worth if to me to run a shackle flip in my tow rig." My personal opinion is no, and that blocks or stiffer, more highly arched lift springs would perform this task better (and of course have other tradeoffs).
2. You are absolutely right. The way I look at it, the factory engineers rated these trucks for a certain load. Installing something like a shackle flip which by design has the potential to diminish load capacity to a degree that could be debated reduces the truck's load capacity. Whatever the new safe load that can be carried is, I cannot calculate, but I would be willing to speculate that it would be less than what was originally calculated for these trucks.
If what you say is fact and the effects of shackle angle on spring rate only come into play near or at the transformation from positive to negative arch, I would say the tradeoff is minimal.
However, I feel that an agressive shackle angle can and does cause a spring to feel softer over its entire range of travel as this has been my personal experience in the past.
I think that the majority of rigs that are towing will never see an issue, espeically if the trailer is loaded properly, has the proper frame mounted, weight distributing hitch, etc., and the tow rig is not overloaded. I just worry about that one guy that has his 1 ton truck loaded to full rated load, and I wonder if the stock rear springs with a shackle flip are really what I wanted back there at full load.
I know that new trucks come with up to 4" blocks from the factory. I also feel that if it was so easy and effective and safe for a heavy duty truck to have a compression shackle that the OEs would be doing this themselves just to save money on the 4" lift blocks some of their trucks are sporting from the factory.
Ahh...the endless debate. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif I don't think either of us are wrong, I just think that a shackle flip is ill suited to towing by design.
Yup, but there is proof that you are wrong about this. This is a technical point of fact so there is no room for opinion, just facts about how a shackle system works.
All things totalled up, the overall package is what makes a tow rig work. You have to have a good trailer because a trailer that bounces all over the place is going to be miserable. You have to have good shocks with reasonable leverage against them. You have to have a stiff enough spring to handle the tongue weight without excess ride height changes. You have to have a stiff enough tire to handle the load without excess squirm or bounce.
[/ QUOTE ]
1. I don't think so. Although this is a debate of technical fact, I do think there is one conclusion you need to draw from all of this, and it would be the answer to only one question. "Despite the tradeoff, is it worth if to me to run a shackle flip in my tow rig." My personal opinion is no, and that blocks or stiffer, more highly arched lift springs would perform this task better (and of course have other tradeoffs).
2. You are absolutely right. The way I look at it, the factory engineers rated these trucks for a certain load. Installing something like a shackle flip which by design has the potential to diminish load capacity to a degree that could be debated reduces the truck's load capacity. Whatever the new safe load that can be carried is, I cannot calculate, but I would be willing to speculate that it would be less than what was originally calculated for these trucks.
If what you say is fact and the effects of shackle angle on spring rate only come into play near or at the transformation from positive to negative arch, I would say the tradeoff is minimal.
However, I feel that an agressive shackle angle can and does cause a spring to feel softer over its entire range of travel as this has been my personal experience in the past.
I think that the majority of rigs that are towing will never see an issue, espeically if the trailer is loaded properly, has the proper frame mounted, weight distributing hitch, etc., and the tow rig is not overloaded. I just worry about that one guy that has his 1 ton truck loaded to full rated load, and I wonder if the stock rear springs with a shackle flip are really what I wanted back there at full load.
I know that new trucks come with up to 4" blocks from the factory. I also feel that if it was so easy and effective and safe for a heavy duty truck to have a compression shackle that the OEs would be doing this themselves just to save money on the 4" lift blocks some of their trucks are sporting from the factory.
Ahh...the endless debate. /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif I don't think either of us are wrong, I just think that a shackle flip is ill suited to towing by design.
