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Shackle Lift Installation

538 Views 3 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  jjh40, 
G
I'm helping a buddy install a shackle lift on his YJ this weekend. We are having problems aligning the shackles correctly. When the axles droop it also swings horizontally. Compounding the situation is the need to push the spring down. Is there an easier way to align the shackles vertically and horizontally other than using a prybar and a lot of elbow grease?
Also, he got the urethane bushings for the springs. We can't quite get the bushings compressed enough to slip the shackle over the bushings. When I put the urethane bushings on my CJ I used the stock shackles so it was easy to use the bolt and nut to squeeze the sides together. But I'm stuck on what to do here--I've tried C-clamps, bolts and washers, and bar clamps without any luck. It seems that there is a pocket of air trapped between the bushings in the spring eye which is compressable, but it pushes the bushings out when the clamps are removed.
Thanks in advance.

Rob

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I had all of these problems when I put my homemade shackles on! I used a come-along to help shift the springs horizontally and a prybar to bend the springs up and down. As far as getting the shackles over the bushings. I grinded the inner edges of the shackles and also cut away the edge of the bushing on one side of each of them. The entire installation really....well, let's just say I wasn't a very happy camper. Make sure that the inner steel sleve of the bushings isn't what's holding the shackles up from slidding over the bushings. I plan to get my website with some pics from my fab/installation up in a few days or so. Keep at it, you'll get 'em on!

/wwwthreads_images/icons/cool.gif Big Ed
'88 YJ, 4" susp,3" body,33's,283 Chevy V8,TH350,4.11's,D30,D35c
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I beveled the edges of my shackles and used some grease, seemed to work better.

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J
I bent mine open and used the shackle bolts to squeeze them back to square, some lube helps too.

If your kidneys don't hurt, it's not a real Jeep!
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