now before i start gettin bashed, i just want to state i'm not a newbe to tucks, only the whole shackle thing. i lift my trucks w/ sys. and/or body lifts. i was lookin a few pages back and saw a guy with a K5 blazer lifted and had shackles or it. well i have an '87 K5 well w/ a 6" sys. lift and 36x14.50 P. Jones and i was wondering would extended shackles do anythin for my truck? would it help with flex, lift it higher, things like that. also they were talkin about his shackle angle was real bad, about what angle should it be? and if it's bad, what can you do fix it? and last, would it be a good idea to go with a longer shackle at all 4 corners, just front, just back or none at all. :confused:

thanks for any help.

this is all if done right
shackles will improve ride (more or less per application)
shackles can improve travel
on your truck the stock location of both front and rear shackles are bad. your fronts, angle to the back of truck and tend to bottom out(rub)and brake on the frame. so longer shackles in front and moving the frame mount forward would help ride and flex
your rears are mounted upside down they should be flipped (many ways of doing that) that will give you (general) 4'' of lift and will help everything!
haveing mental block so I cant recal what the good angles are
dont forget if you do any shackle motification you will have to take in the consideration you are changing the pinion angle so shims are needed
every 1'' longer shackle you get 1/2'' lift

thanks for the help,

how long should the front shackles be and how far foward should i move the mount? i'm guessin weld it back on too.

how can i flip the back ones? and by flipping the back ones will that give me that extra 4 inches or do i need to get new ones?

also what ones do u think i should use, or is there not a "bad choice"

thanks again

front shackles depend on what you want to do are you trying to correct your bad engineering ? or you trying for more lift (how much) ? will you be setting up for a 52'' spring swap
rears I did the cheap version cutt holes in the bottom and flipped it I installed 2'' lift blocks and turned them backwards to keep my pinion angle rite and i got great ride and much more flex ( 6 1/2'' TOTAL LIFT )

i'm tryin to get as much lift as i can get for cheap. i have 6" now and i have a little rub when i make a tight turn w/ my 36x14.50s and i want to put some 38s on it. and if i under stand what your sayin, i could have up to 10 1/2" if do what you say (i have 4" blocks in the back now). do you have and pics you could maybe send so i can get an idea on what it should look like. thanks.

Here's a write up:

http://coloradok5.com/shackleflip.shtml

wow thanks...that helped alot.

now that i help w/ the rear, what can i do about the front? i'm trying to make the lift in the back equal the lift in the front.

any help with the front??

If you do the 4 or 2 1/2 flip from ORD you will have to go with eaither different springs in the back or front to keep the truck level, if you already have a 6in lift, i would change the back springs to 3in with the 4 in flip or 5in with the 2in flip to account for SABS(saggy ass blazer syndrome)

just make new ones longer, there really simple just a coulple chunks of flat steel . I dont have any pics I am makeing mine 4'' longer and welding a 3'' cross piece for support and strenght, then some 4 degree shims and I should be close to a good pinion angle. alot of guys do a 3.25 longer for 52'' spring swaps . I dont know why that is ?? why 3.25 is used but majority use it .
This is probably more then your willing to go, but if you put stock 52'' rear 1/2 ton or 3/4 ton springs in (by moving the front perch forward 2'') you get 4'' lift just from that and get great ride :) and hella flex :) so if you put a 4'' rear lift springs you got 8'' lift, well you do the math.

thanks for the info. i'm gonna try to do it when i get home from college (i go to school in NY and live in VA) i'll let yall know how it turns out