why does my shackles keep doing this??
<IMG SRC="smilies/eek.gif" border="0">
http://4given4x4.com/images/axle1.jpg

thanks

Looks like your rear hanger is too far back. If your springs get up there they will most likely get stuck like that. I think your problem is its too easy for your springs to get there. Try moving your rear hanger forward. This should keep your spring from doing this unless you force it back w/ a rock or something.

well the rear hanger is in the stock location on a 89' yj, and the springs are 2.5" rancho...never did this before...

maybe longer shackles???

longer shackles will help the problem, but I wouldn't go that way. It is the easy way out but your springs will hit everything if you are into rock climbing. If your vehicle is stock then I wonder if your springs are too short? You might want to check into that.

your springs are to soft prolly from wear and age. you can get shackles that stop before that happens, or switch your springs for some new ones. waggy springs would be good to as they are longer and the shackle will never move that far back.

<IMG SRC="smilies/rolleyes.gif" border="0"> rock climbing...not in Michigan <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0"> <IMG SRC="smilies/laughing.gif" border="0">

i was leaning towards waggy springs, but for now i am going to use a longer shackle until i fubar one of the springs <IMG SRC="smilies/smile.gif" border="0">

thanks guys <IMG SRC="smilies/usa.gif" border="0">

easy fix if you're happy with your lift is anti-inversion shackles, make your own for nothing and go look at Tomkens design if you need an example.

Boomerang style shackles like mentioned above will help.

for that matter for a quick and easy fix figure out how close to the frame is the spring before it loads itself and put a little bump stop or preventer of any kind there and then you can keep your springs if you like everything else about them

longer shackle and a limiting strap

My 2.5" OME SOA started doing this yesterday when I was flexing on big flat faced rocks. I was easily able to invert both at once. I have the straight MORE shackles up front, wish I went with the bommerangs there too (have them in back).

My front shackles sit almost straight vertical at rest.

I'm thinking about the 7 leaf Waggys in the front (I have a pair) but never seem to get a straight answer regarding the linkage.

Charly

Originally posted by Charly:
<STRONG>My 2.5" OME SOA started doing this yesterday when I was flexing on big flat faced rocks. I was easily able to invert both at once. I have the straight MORE shackles up front, wish I went with the bommerangs there too (have them in back).

My front shackles sit almost straight vertical at rest.

I'm thinking about the 7 leaf Waggys in the front (I have a pair) but never seem to get a straight answer regarding the linkage.

Charly</STRONG>

Longer shackles will fix the prob. Been there done that.

I run waggys all the way around on my YJ. What ???? do you have.

Looks like its time for a shackle reversal. <IMG SRC="smilies/biggrin.gif" border="0">

Either your springs are too short or the hangers to close together, unless of course this happens after hitting something on the approach. Longer shackles could stop this, but that is a duct tape and bailing wire fix. Do it right, get longer springs or move the hangers. A SOA setup, the shackles should be kicked out slightly, since any change up or down will shorten the spring length.

On a YJ with lifted springs switched over to SOA they will keep the shackle at a 90 degree angle to the ground. A longer shackle will give more angle and eliminate the shackle inversion proble. Me personally I went shackle reversal. I have 2 friends with YJ's that have had this happen. One 3" springs SOA and another 4" SUA. Longer shackles fixed both. Sure longer springs would be better.

Originally posted by The Rockslut:
<STRONG>On a YJ with lifted springs switched over to SOA they will keep the shackle at a 90 degree angle to the ground. A longer shackle will give more angle and eliminate the shackle inversion proble. Me personally I went shackle reversal. I have 2 friends with YJ's that have had this happen. One 3" springs SOA and another 4" SUA. Longer shackles fixed both. Sure longer springs would be better.</STRONG>

Actually a longer shackle will give an angle closer to 90 degrees, no matter what. Just imagine if the shackel was at a 45 degree then change that shackle to something say 24" longer it will be alot closer to straight up and down. The reason the longer shackle will fix the problem is it will go through less angular change as the suspension cycles because the larger radius of the arc requires fewer degrees of swing to cover the same distance

The springs, when flexing, are letting the shackle go over-center. What I would do is get anti-reversing shackles. That will eliminate the problem for now. Longer shackles will just give you a patch temp fix and then screw something else up.
The best fix, IMO, is to get a longer spring.
I have always set-up the shackle so they are at about 45* when sitting on level ground and the vehicle weight is on them.

use a safty shakle that is triangle shaped preventing this, my waggon used to do this made for a rough ride.

Rockslut,

I have a YJ with front 44 high steered with 1.5" diameter tie rod and draglink.

Those are YJ OME J1Rs at all four corners.

Charly

Originally posted by Charly:
<STRONG>Rockslut,

I have a YJ with front 44 high steered with 1.5" diameter tie rod and draglink.

Those are YJ OME J1Rs at all four corners.

Charly</STRONG>

What linkage questions do you have?

I have inverted my shackle a bunch of times

More than likely you bent your spring a little when you inverted it.

Mine usually inverts when it hits an obstacle straight on.

I plan on alleviating this by useing MORE Boomerangs in the front as Anti Inversion shackled like they show on their website.

Check it out

http://www.mountainoffroad.com/catalog/LubeShackle/9081-Ft-2.jpg

My .02

As others have stated, use the MORE Booomerang shackle up front. That's what I did and no shackle inversion.
Dion

Limiting shackles like the Boston Mangler has pictured are great. Unless, your springs are too short. If that is your problem, then the limiting shackles will bottom out an limit your articulation. To do it right, you must start at square one. A slightly kicked out shackle at rest, and thats it. If it is kicked in towards the member, and you have a SOA with flat springs, then any movement will shorten them further and collapse your shackle. May on the responses given are good. We just dont have enough information to give you a accurate cure.

I thought that everyone went shackle reversed when going SOA? Or is that too much work............

don't take the easy way out, it'll cost you more $ in the long run. If you can't fab something up then go with MORE's shacke reversal kit.

It is called "kickback." When you springs droop to the point where the shackle gets bound onto the frame. They make anit-kickback shackles like the one pictured above, but in my opinion, should be put on the other way to allow more movement and will still prevent the binding. Forgive me if I repeated info, just to damn lazy to read it all. <IMG SRC="smilies/thefinger.gif" border="0">

Originally posted by Insayn:
<STRONG>...but in my opinion, should be put on the other way to allow more movement and will still prevent the binding. ...</STRONG>
But, if you put the above pic'd shackle on the other way, how will it stop the spring from causing the shackle to invert?

Put it on with the length at the hanger and the bend facing outward. When the spring tries to invert the middle cross bolt will contact the frame while not allowing the spring to come into full contact with the frame and bind.
The way it is installed above puts alot of stress on the hanger and if you drive a YJ you will know the hangers are not the strongest.