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Yikes! Why you need to upgrade your shackles....(pics)

yup, i swapped mine out a few weekends ago, after harassing one mod here for his suggestion over the fone (thanks greg! /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif )

Mine was cracked, didn't know it. Now my axle is move a bit forward a bit more and with the x-over, steering is great...

now i just need to make time for the AGR powersteering pump /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
Had the same thing happen to the Brown Turd K30 once. Just slapped on another spare shackle I had laying around. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
WOW! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif That looks like it was fun to drive home that way! I think I am gonna get my shackles soon!
Bill
 
wow now i feel pretty good about buying those hill4wd shackles.
 
And don't forget to upgrade those shackle bolts also!! I just broke my 3rd 1/2" grade 8 shackle bolt!!! This was with NO wheeling!! What do you guys think about running a 5/8" bolt directly against the poly bushings (presently it has a 1/2" bolt with the steel tube spacer, that allows the bushing to be shielded from the bolt). Other than that, I'm thinking of obtaining some higher grade bolts, perhaps grade 16?? A friend told me they use that grade on Caterpillar dozer blades... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
Dude, consider yourself lucky... I have some frame repairs to do because of something like that...
 
I have done this, the only thing you have to do is get lock nuts and don't overtighten the bolt just get snug.
Never broke a bolt after that.
 
I made my own out of some steel that is at least twice as thick as the stock shackles. They have 3 top holes so that I can adjust the front ride height in 3/4" increments. I use them with the ORD greasable bushings.
 
The problem with this is that trying to lift your truck with longer front shackles really screws up the pinion angle. Not only that, but you can also make the truck a hand full on the road by screwing up the Ackerman(sp?) angle. It can become very twichy which isn't fun in a top heavy truck! /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif


Mike
 
<font color="green"> Ackerman isn't affected by shackles, it's the caster that's affected. Going a little buit longer is generally OK, but more than a couple inches I'd start getting a bit scared. However if you have the axle shimmed to aim the pinion up towards the t-case, the longer shackles will actually put the pinion closer to stock than it would be without them. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif</font color>
 
Another clue that your shackles may need replacement is if your truck leans to one side. It gave me fits adjusting the body mounts trying to level the truck before I found a worn out shackle bushing. The spring was resting against the frame.
 
I know not to over-tighten the bolts. Had lock nuts on there also. 5/8" seems to be the way to go. I still can't beleive that stock GM uses 7/16" shackle bolts!!!
 
</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
you can also make the truck a hand full on the road by screwing up the Ackerman(sp?) angle. It can become very twichy which isn't fun in a top heavy truck!

[/ QUOTE ]

This must be why I have had zero problems with it! Others have had similar results. It's even possible that this change could make it handle better. Changing the front height by 3/4" (1.5" longer shackle) only affects caster by about 2 degrees. If the caster is right on in your "average" height, you can go up or down a little bit and still be acceptable. You just don't want to have marginal caster to begin with and then put 2" longer shackles in. In that case, you will need shims.

It takes a lot more than shackles to change the Ackerman angle.
 
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