Johnny Jointed shackles?

[PNWXJ]

I just saw these johnny jointed shackes from All Pro Off Road in the Four Wheeler mag today. Just wondering if these might be a good or bad one for the XJ? Just to clarify the upper shackle mount is Johnny jointed with a mount that is welded to the frame and the lower is a normal leaf spring mount. Seems like a good idea but might have some drivability issues. What you all think?

Tim

[88justin]

having only the lower mount retain the bushing will place a lot of stress on it when taking turns. the axle may shift more from side to side. this might cause premature failure of that bushing. at the same time, that design should permit plenty of flex off road.

just some thoughts...

[Royce]

http://www.allprooffroad.com/0516.jpg

These? Seems like there would be a lot of side to side movement.
I'm gonna add a shackle to the back of my rig sometime early summer. So I have been looking at all the options.

[CRASH]

You are adding a shackle? As in, you'll have two per side?

These are just as bad an idea as "Orbit Eyes" that slip into your spring. Lateral stability is compromised, bushing life is severly reduced.

Flex is way over-rated in my judgement, a well balanced suspension that has good stability is way more valuable on the extreme trails that our ad hoc group frequents.

CRASH

[Royce]

No,only one pair lol. I wanna get lift shackles. right now I'm stock shackles @ 3-3.5" of lift. I am not sure what brand I want to go with yet. Probably something that is greasable? I'm definetly not diggin these new things just thought I would post a pic so people could get a visual.

[XJRockcrawler]

If you're lookin for a greasable lift shackle, I have the ones from Rocky Road Outfitters (http://www.rocky-road.com) and they are great. They have a good powdercoating, and a brace in the middle that a lot of others don't have. They cost about the same as any others, too.

[xj4rocks]

Originally posted by CRASH
You are adding a shackle? As in, you'll have two per side?

These are just as bad an idea as "Orbit Eyes" that slip into your spring. Lateral stability is compromised, bushing life is severly reduced.

Flex is way over-rated in my judgement, a well balanced suspension that has good stability is way more valuable on the extreme trails that our ad hoc group frequents.

CRASH


why would lateral stability be compromised? and why bushing life reduced? I don't see how using a JJ on the shackle would make a sizeable difference in either of those issues. please explain if you would.....

[CRASH]

Instead of three bushings controling lateral axle movent (one in front, two in back), you now have only two bushings doing the controlling. This leads to more lateral movement of the axle, increasing the magnitude of bushing loading by, thereby leading to shorter bushing life.

CRASH

[Stoney]

norcalxj and i both run dual shackles! if u leave the stock shackel on and then jsut bolt the lift shackle on (and life shackles are all the same so it doesn't matter) to that u get a better shackel angel which interen gives u a better ride!!! WHOO HOO!! i don't know it works would like something better though!!

stoney

[CRASH]

Sure it works, until the shackle box starts collapsing from being pounded by the shackle bolted to the OEM location.

CRASH

[Stoney]

um?? well we don't worry bout those cracks!! they jsut um... give it more felx!!!!!!!

but seriuosly u could weld up the box (like a lot of people do) and then run dual shackle thingy with like a bump stop and do it the right way!!

but i like are way it is sic!!!!!


ha ha ha
stoney

[XJZ]

And ya wonder how he got a name like Stoney.....:)

[JR]

Dual shackles are dumb. Heim joint shackles sound scary on the street. :eek:

[Lucas]

im not so concerned with bushing life, but would a JJ shackle really be unstable on the trail? It seems like it would take a lot of the twist from the leaf springs, and would give more controlled suspension movement than when compared to a revolver type shackle.

Also, would the street ride be scary? "Quirky" I can take. Lockers are quirkuy.