Full Size Jeep Network

I am sick and tired of breaking RS44044 front leave springs on the honcho. I've broke three this year alone.

So I'm thinking about going with shackle reverse as an interim step before going coilovers.

To my knowledge, here are the problems with shackle reverse. Can anyone list any others?

* needs stiffer front springs to prevent nosedive
* needs long travel front driveshaft

This may not be a problem for you but seems to me there would be a cut and turn involved on the outer Cs or re-doing the spring mounts on the axle to get the geometry corrected.

Still running rancho 44044's on mine with shackle reversal (slider boxes instead of shackles, but same effect). Brake dive seems the same as before the flip. Yes, long travel shaft needed. I have 9" slip and use almost all of it. No cut and turn needed on mine so far. Running 2 deg shims to help with pinion angle and that left me with 4 deg caster. Drives straight at 70mph with no ill effects so far.

Well I bought the mounts and shackle hangers that I will need from ruffstuff.

My goal is to move the front axle as far forward as possible and still clear the steering.

I'm really sick of bending and breaking springs. It's a PITA to change 'em on the trail.

j20brett wrote:Still running rancho 44044's on mine with shackle reversal (slider boxes instead of shackles, but same effect). Brake dive seems the same as before the flip. Yes, long travel shaft needed. I have 9" slip and use almost all of it. No cut and turn needed on mine so far. Running 2 deg shims to help with pinion angle and that left me with 4 deg caster. Drives straight at 70mph with no ill effects so far.

You got a picture of the Slider Boxes? I've considered these and they're affordable. Even seen them with bearings instead of UHMW.

Check out the pics in the thread below.

http://fsjnetwork.com/forum/viewtopic.p ... 504#p15627

Go to last post in my build thread for flex pics. They do well.

Looks great and less likely to get caught-up on the ROCKs!

Anyone have pic of shackle reverse on a FSJ?

I have the honcho in the garage and ready to tear it down and weld some hangers on...

I used to have some, will have to see if I still do. I have seen it done two ways, one of which is wrong.

I have seen it where some people just put the shackle in the rear hanger, bolt the spring in, and use big degree shims to straighten the axle back out. This would be the wrong way if using normal shackles in back.

The proper way I have seen guys do it is remove the front hangers, weld on new lower hangers, weld in a brace between them, and a brace going backwards along the frame, and put the shackle in the rear hanger. I did see one guy actually do the rear shackle like a GM, where its up through the frame, and is a much longer shackle. This is the better way, but a lot more work.

Interesting.

I've already removed the driverside front hanger and will be removing the others tonight. I"m leaving my leaf springs still attached to the D60 for now.

Pics would be good. I've looked on google, but haven't found much...

Blake wrote:Anyone have pic of shackle reverse on a FSJ?

I have the honcho in the garage and ready to tear it down and weld some hangers on...

http://jubileejeeps.org/tech/soaluna

Oh, you may find you also want to add a traction bar up front, as you will get more axle wrap with the rear shackle. Plus you will want a longer travel driveshaft, assuming you dont already have one. Without enough travel you risk breaking your pretty t-case.

Stuka wrote:Oh, you may find you also want to add a traction bar up front, as you will get more axle wrap with the rear shackle. Plus you will want a longer travel driveshaft, assuming you dont already have one. Without enough travel you risk breaking your pretty t-case.

My front driveshaft already has bad splines and it will be replaced by a long travel one.

Front traction bar.... ya, I'm gonna try it without at first, but I think I will need one. Don't want that thing to start bouncing when trying to climb rocks.

The Waggy in the linked pictures has over 100k miles on the SOA, shackle reverse mods. It does have a long travel front drive shaft. No sway bar which I miss. The flex is sweet.

I DO NOT POLISH my QTs.

fulsizjeep wrote:The Waggy in the linked pictures has over 100k miles on the SOA, shackle reverse mods. It does have a long travel front drive shaft. No sway bar which I miss. The flex is sweet.

I DO NOT POLISH my QTs.

This is a long travel driveshaft??

Blake wrote:

fulsizjeep wrote:The Waggy in the linked pictures has over 100k miles on the SOA, shackle reverse mods. It does have a long travel front drive shaft. No sway bar which I miss. The flex is sweet.

I DO NOT POLISH my QTs.

This is a long travel driveshaft??

Thats a very short travel drive shaft. REALLY surprised he has not broken that QT yet. With a rear shackle, the axle moves backwards as it travels up.

Naysayers... LOL
It compresses almost to the bottom on stuff and stretches as needed on droop.

fulsizjeep wrote:Naysayers... LOL
It compresses almost to the bottom on stuff and stretches as needed on droop.

Wait

Your joking right? There is no way you have put 100k miles (including 'wheeling) on that same setup right?

No joke. I did not put all those miles on it myself. It was Krista's dad's Jeep for several years before he gave it to her in 2004. The suspension and driveline was modified when he bought it.

wow ok.