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Universal shackles work?

S

summitlt

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Maine
I bought a set of the autozone universal shackles and I dont think they will work. But Ill get another opinion before I give up.

Ones like these

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/3-Po...ewItemQQcategoryZ33585QQitemZ7994582491QQrdZ1

Obviously the stock shackle has a bushing in it. These dont, is there any way I can use them?

Or maybe buy new ones, I dont want to spend $80 on shackles. Id do a AAL, but then I need leaf clamps, all new Ubolts and its a lot more work when all I want is two inches of lift.


1990 MJ, D35
 
summitlt said:
I bought a set of the autozone universal shackles and I dont think they will work. But Ill get another opinion before I give up.

Ones like these

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/3-Position-Adjustable-Shackle-Lift-Kit-8-49_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33585QQitemZ7994582491QQrdZ1

Obviously the stock shackle has a bushing in it. These dont, is there any way I can use them?

Or maybe buy new ones, I dont want to spend $80 on shackles. Id do a AAL, but then I need leaf clamps, all new Ubolts and its a lot more work when all I want is two inches of lift.


1990 MJ, D35
Click to expand...
I'm not sure I follow you, the bushings are a seprate item. If you need new ones buy some.
Do you mean a spacer? The picture you posted show's spacer bolts.
 
Last edited:
What do you mean "they won't work on the rear of a cherokee"? I have them on my '88 Limited AND my '88 MJ. I cut the ears off the factory shackle, stuffed it up in the pocket to serve as a spacer, then bolted the shackles on. There is a little taper from top to bottom, because of the way the shackle ends up hanging on the out side of the pocket, but it is not an issue as far as driving goes. My Limited is set at the first set of holes, my MJ at the second set. No trouble from either truck since install for the XJ over a year ago, and the MJ about 4 months.
 
ren said:
What do you mean "they won't work on the rear of a cherokee"? I have them on my '88 Limited AND my '88 MJ. I cut the ears off the factory shackle, stuffed it up in the pocket to serve as a spacer, then bolted the shackles on. There is a little taper from top to bottom, because of the way the shackle ends up hanging on the out side of the pocket, but it is not an issue as far as driving goes. My Limited is set at the first set of holes, my MJ at the second set. No trouble from either truck since install for the XJ over a year ago, and the MJ about 4 months.
Click to expand...
:lecture:

Thats the most ghetto idea I have ever heard of in my entire life. There's an enormous amount of stress on those shackles and ghetto rigging them should not be an option.
 
Mmmmm ghetto fab....
pokinit.gif
ren said:
What do you mean "they won't work on the rear of a cherokee"? I have them on my '88 Limited AND my '88 MJ. I cut the ears off the factory shackle, stuffed it up in the pocket to serve as a spacer, then bolted the shackles on. There is a little taper from top to bottom, because of the way the shackle ends up hanging on the out side of the pocket, but it is not an issue as far as driving goes. My Limited is set at the first set of holes, my MJ at the second set. No trouble from either truck since install for the XJ over a year ago, and the MJ about 4 months.
Click to expand...
 
The bushing should be there for the vibration and probably a bit of flex. Thats why I figured it should be there.

Maybe ill cut the bushing off mine then weld them up. And probably put a bar in the middle for a bit more strength.
 
F that. lol. buy some lift shackles from rustys or RE or one of the 1500 other companies that make them. theyre not that expensive. otherwise just go to a junkyard and look for a lowered fullsize chevy and take the shackles off it.
 
yeah, it would cost less to get some shackles then to fix your jeep after one of ghetto shackle breaks and you crash into something or someone.
 
Some of the guys run chevy lowering shackles, but they aren't really built for flexing that much and I have seen the ears bend sideways when pushed to the limits.
 
IF I manage to bend 3/8 steel, then I am probably somewhere that the "rock crawler" crowd would LOVE to be. Each to their own opion, but this works for me, has worked for me, and will continue to work for me. Not everyone can or wants to buy the gizmo of the week, or wants to be a rolling advertisement for several "off-road" companies. I have run these shackles before on a 1974 ONE-TON Dodge 4X4 and the ONLY reason that I am not still driving it, is because of a JERK that had all kinds of "off-road" stuff on his F#%*$jng Jeep. Instead of being nice, and "testing" his "bull-s#&@" style bumber for him, I put the truck into trees off the side of the road. As for the shackles, THEY NEVER GAVE ANY TROUBLE, and the truck was equipped with an 8' utility bed the was normally full. SO, just because it looks "ghetto", does not mean it IS. I would choose these same style shackles over the SHEETMETAL stamping that the factory used any day. end rant.
 
ren said:
SO, just because it looks "ghetto", does not mean it IS. I would choose these same style shackles over the SHEETMETAL stamping that the factory used any day. end rant.
Click to expand...


It may not mean it is still ghetto.

.. But that is still ghetto. You drive on the road that way? I need to make a note to go -around- kentucky and not through it.
 
ren said:
IF I manage to bend 3/8 steel, then I am probably somewhere that the "rock crawler" crowd would LOVE to be. Each to their own opion, but this works for me, has worked for me, and will continue to work for me. Not everyone can or wants to buy the gizmo of the week, or wants to be a rolling advertisement for several "off-road" companies. I have run these shackles before on a 1974 ONE-TON Dodge 4X4 and the ONLY reason that I am not still driving it, is because of a JERK that had all kinds of "off-road" stuff on his F#%*$jng Jeep. Instead of being nice, and "testing" his "bull-s#&@" style bumber for him, I put the truck into trees off the side of the road. As for the shackles, THEY NEVER GAVE ANY TROUBLE, and the truck was equipped with an 8' utility bed the was normally full. SO, just because it looks "ghetto", does not mean it IS. I would choose these same style shackles over the SHEETMETAL stamping that the factory used any day. end rant.
Click to expand...

calm down dude...

so we know that the shackles work for Ren when put-together in the manner he describes - good for him


now for some GOOD advice -
buy some shackles from a known good company - like RE

i have heard of fitment issues with the RRO units and the Rusty's units..

and be prepared to hacksaw the tip of your exhaust pipe off to keep it from rattling...
 
How about a better idea for you- JUST STAY IN CALI, WITH YOUR EPA LOVING SELF. Your state started ALOT of the b.s. on the road as far as GHETTO goes, so you have no space to talk.
 
wow, someone ripping on cali from kentucky.

i'm sorry your sister won't put out tonight and you are pissed.

BTW colonel sanders gave us the epitome of ghetto food.

emmisions regs may be a pain in the ass, but thank the epa for making cars more efficient and reliable. if it weren't for government interference we would all still have to warm our cars up in the morning and wait for the choke to open. you would be adjusting your shit as regular maintenance and stalling out on hills. your car would run like shit on cold days and in high elevations. also it would probably get less than 12 mpg and smell like unburnt fuel. thank you epa for pushing the manufacturers where the market couldn't.

also, those shackles are ghetto, you might as well cut and extend your stock ones if you are going to be ghetto (don't really do that)
 
I love seeing those type of shackles on CJ's and YJ's. Especially when they are used to gain maximum height. The best part is that when they are in the front... you can turn the steering wheel an entire revolution before the front end actually reacts. In the rear (including the rear of an XJ) I suspect the only problems you would run into would be excessive shackle lean on sidehills and shackle interferance when it flexes. Oh yeah... and something about unusual driveline angles... No big deal though right? So go for it. I have seen people make them even longer out of flat steel. Just make sure that if you don't go the full height, don't cut off the extra length in case you ever want to go bigger! It won't drag too bad.

The great thing about this hobby is that no matter how poorly I think I do something on my truck, I can always find something that makes me feel better about my junk.
 
Harvo said:
The great thing about this hobby is that no matter how poorly I think I do something on my truck, I can always find something that makes me feel better about my junk.
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AMEN BROTHER!

P.S. by the way, GETTO IS GETTO, weather it is from CALI. KY.( hate the jelly LOL... ) FLORIDA, NEW YORK or where ever. if you want to get bent about what some ones opinion is you can go GET BENT. but do it some where some body might give a care.

ok, bye bye. your blue grass is waiting and so is your mom ( or was that your sister? OH WAIT, they are the same, sorry bout that, my bad)
 
ren said:
How about a better idea for you- JUST STAY IN CALI, WITH YOUR EPA LOVING SELF. Your state started ALOT of the b.s. on the road as far as GHETTO goes, so you have no space to talk.
Click to expand...



1) I do love the EPA. I went to mexico city once. I got to see how bad the air is without an org like the EPA watching out for us.

2) I fail to see how anything regarding environmental protection falls under 'ghetto'. By 'ghetto', I was implying the outright use of unsafe and unreliable modifications to save from buying a $29 part from ebay.

3) Hell man, if it would mean not having those shackles on the highway anywhere near a schoolbus, I'll -buy- you a set of shackles and have them drop shipped to you.. (and i'm not kidding..)

4) I was not basing my comments entirly just on my mildly educated opinion. I've seen that exact setup for shackles used three times in my life. A 1973 Scout II, a 1979 Ford F250 4x4 lowboy, and a samurai. I personally only got to see the F250 go down when his shackle gave, but I know the scout owner found need to pull his off because he kept bending them, and the last picture I saw of the samurai one corner sat a lot lower than the other three.

5) Work on your insults. You can do a lot better man. :)

-C
 
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