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To Anyone With Shackles...

C

Cujo

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Magnolia, Delaware
I have cRustys 1.5" extended shackles, and I just happened to be looking around under my rig today and noticed that the lower outboard rear bumper mounting bolts had been contacting my shackles during compression. The bolts are installed with the threaded portion facing forward, (toward the shackle), and there is about 1" of the threaded shaft coming through the nut. I noticed a dent on each shackle where the bolt had been hitting. I don't know how much this affects articulation, but it certainly can't help. And considering the rear bumper is held on by 8 bolts, I just took the 2 offensive ones out. Just thought ya'll might like to know so you could check yours.
 
Mine did that too. I replaced them with shorter bolts from a local hardware store.
 
That's one of the things I like the RE shackles, they've got cutouts to clear the bolts. They're only 3/4" lift shackles though, not 1.5" like Rusty's... And for some dumb reason RE put the zerks on the wrong side... :rolleyes:

DSC01072.jpg
 
Don't worry, you are not alone. This is typical of Rusty's design philosophy, let the customer find out the hard way, and of course, don't warn him in any way.

As for your lube fittings, you may easily change them with bent ones, in that way they will be accessible without removing the shackles. That's what I did with mine.

Rgds
 
FYI, the Tera shackles (what I used to run) as well as the ones from Rocky Road Outfitters will all have the same bolt clearance problem as Rusty's do. The Daystar shackles probably will as well.

Regarding the zerks on RE's shackles, I just jack the back end up with my Hi-Lift a bit, maybe 4-5", this droops the suspension and pulls the shackles far enough forward to give me access to the zerks. A seldom as they need to be greased, it's not that a big deal.

I do think it's interesting that RE advertises them as 1.25" lift shackles, but when you measure them, they're only 3/4" lift... :anon:
 
SV1CEC said:
As for your lube fittings, you may easily change them with bent ones, in that way they will be accessible without removing the shackles
Click to expand...

This whining gets real old. :rolleyes:

Did RE "warn" you about the zerk or did you find out the "hard way"

Common sense dictates a look-see when you install a moving part to check for clearance.
 
who's whining? :confused:

To me, common sense would dictate a manufacturer would place service items (ie: zerks) within reasonally easy access. RE putting the zerks on the wrong side is just a screw up on their part, plain and simple. I saw that when I first pulled them out of the box. No big deal though, but it does kinda make ya wonder what they were thinking when they put them there...

And as for the shackles hitting the bumper bolt, again, not that big a deal. Just cut off the end of the bolt or replace it with a shorter one. Nothing to get all concerned about, but it may not be something everyone's aware of. Heck, I had my Tera shackles about a year before I discovered they were hitting that bolt.
 
MaXJohnson said:
This whining gets real old. :rolleyes:

Did RE "warn" you about the zerk or did you find out the "hard way"

Common sense dictates a look-see when you install a moving part to check for clearance.
Click to expand...

Ditto! Jason, he was not refering to you.
 
MaXJohnson said:
This whining gets real old. :rolleyes:

Did RE "warn" you about the zerk or did you find out the "hard way"

Common sense dictates a look-see when you install a moving part to check for clearance.
Click to expand...

I guess that since JNJ was not referring to Jason, and since he quoted my writings, he was referring to me.

However, I didn't mention anything about RE things, so they obviously didn't warn me about anything. So I am confused too.

As far as I am concerned, if someone develops a part for a particular model, he should either make sure that the said part does not interfere with standard OEM components, or he should clearly mention it in the instructions. I understand that most of you Jeepers out there are die-hard mechanics, but this does not necessarily imply that each and every one of us is. Some of us, enjoy our trucks, but not the mechanics of it. I am not one of these people, I can understand that a moving part needs to be checked for clearence, but that does not mean everyone else does.

If some of you are willing to live with no instructions, or with poorly designed parts, that's fine, it's your right, I have no problem with that. But I sure as hell have also the right to "whine" when I pay my hard earned money and get inferior products.

My opinion only.
 
Pre-qualification of the following statement: It is directed to any and all manufacturers/consumers that it applies to, so if the shoe fits, cram your foot in it.

"As long as consumers are satified with mediocre products, then mediocre manufacturers will continue to supply them with such."
JDT
 
I understand that most of you Jeepers out there are die-hard mechanics, but this does not necessarily imply that each and every one of us is. Some of us, enjoy our trucks, but not the mechanics of it. I am not one of these people, I can understand that a moving part needs to be checked for clearence, but that does not mean everyone else does.
Click to expand...

If you are ordering aftermarket suspension products for your personal use than I guess you better be somewhat of a mechanic or learn to be. Basically they are telling you to stop whining b/c it gets old when someone has one problem that they let everyone know about over and over when it has no relevance to the original post.
 
Well said, CJS :)

Your point about the inexperienced is right on the button. If someone doesn't have a lot of experience with modifing vehicles, maybe he/she should let someone else do it, or expect to make mistakes and learn by them.

I've finished a project and had parts left over, stripped threads not noticing they were reversed, broke parts with inappropriate use of the BFH, burned up something that was closer to the torch than it should have been, etc, etc, etc. It's all part of the learning process.

P.S. I was referring to the whining about the shackles while happily modifing the RE part without complaint. Seemed like a double standard. It is sooooo... easy to bash Rusty.
 
Jeepin Jason said:
who's whining? :confused:

To me, common sense would dictate a manufacturer would place service items (ie: zerks) within reasonally easy access. RE putting the zerks on the wrong side is just a screw up on their part, plain and simple. I saw that when I first pulled them out of the box. No big deal though, but it does kinda make ya wonder what they were thinking when they put them there...

And as for the shackles hitting the bumper bolt, again, not that big a deal. Just cut off the end of the bolt or replace it with a shorter one. Nothing to get all concerned about, but it may not be something everyone's aware of. Heck, I had my Tera shackles about a year before I discovered they were hitting that bolt.
Click to expand...

I'm thinking they put them there so they would be out of harms way and not get snapped off if you were dragging them over rocks,
Mike B.
 
1986xj said:
I'm thinking they put them there so they would be out of harms way and not get snapped off if you were dragging them over rocks,
Mike B.
Click to expand...

Say what??????????
If you hit your upper shackle bushings on rocks,that would be interesting to see!
 
RCP Phx said:
Say what??????????
If you hit your upper shackle bushings on rocks,that would be interesting to see!
Click to expand...

You being from the land of smooth high traction rocks may not understand that us on the east coast have jagged pointy rocks, slippery moss covered boulders, roots, stumps and things like that. Over here if it's under the Jeep it will be drug over a rock or a root will get up under there and snag something. I've seen plenty of times where a shackle has been drug starting from up at the hanger when trying to back up over a rock to "try" to get a better line over an obstacle. Any Zerk fitting pointing down in an acessible place, where I wheel, would not last long at all.
Mike B.
 
CJS said:
If you are ordering aftermarket suspension products for your personal use than I guess you better be somewhat of a mechanic or learn to be. Basically they are telling you to stop whining b/c it gets old when someone has one problem that they let everyone know about over and over when it has no relevance to the original post.
Click to expand...

Excuse me, but wasn't the original post about Rusty's shackles hitting the bumper bolt? I replied to this issue by saying that I had the same problem too. I then offered a solution for the zerks issue raised by Jason.

Weren't those two related to the original post?????

And as far as I remember, I've never again mentionned anything about Rusty's shackles hitting the bolt or their zerks fittings, in this or in any other forum. I had mentionned my problems with his rear springs and shocks several times, but not these. So please do not flame me for things you think I've said.
 
Last edited:
MaXJohnson said:
Well said, CJS :)

Your point about the inexperienced is right on the button. If someone doesn't have a lot of experience with modifing vehicles, maybe he/she should let someone else do it, or expect to make mistakes and learn by them.

I've finished a project and had parts left over, stripped threads not noticing they were reversed, broke parts with inappropriate use of the BFH, burned up something that was closer to the torch than it should have been, etc, etc, etc. It's all part of the learning process.

P.S. I was referring to the whining about the shackles while happily modifing the RE part without complaint. Seemed like a double standard. It is sooooo... easy to bash Rusty.
Click to expand...

Where are the "double standards"? Please read my post again, I didn't mention anything about RE shackles. I am using Rusty's ones and these are the ones I modified.

Here is what I wrote:

Don't worry, you are not alone. This is typical of Rusty's design philosophy, let the customer find out the hard way, and of course, don't warn him in any way.

As for your lube fittings, you may easily change them with bent ones, in that way they will be accessible without removing the shackles. That's what I did with mine.
Click to expand...

So I am not applying different standards to different manufacturers. I hope that this clarifies the issue.
 
This is typical of Rusty's design philosophy, let the customer find out the hard way, and of course, don't warn him in any way.
Click to expand...

I guess I'm wrong then, this comment wasn't biased but instead was based on your vast experience in aftermarket suspension. It also related to the original post b/c if one person has a problem ( a minor one at that, easily fixable) and you have the same problem then I guess you are justified to flame Rusty. I didn't flame you, I simply stated the obvious just as everyone else did:rolleyes: .
 
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