[zookprojectfnq]

Well decided to do reverse shackles in my ute.
I searched all the manufacturers for a sutible kit for me but because I am sprung over with lux diffs and have a winch bar they didn't have what I wanted.
I decided to make my own out of some 75x10mm algle and some 75x10mm flat bar. I tried to keep it as close to the chassis as possible as I don't need extra lift. The eyes that weld on the rear are machined bosses that are inserted into a piece of 40x40 box using a holesaw then tiged in place.
I have chosen the OEM shackles as they are the smallest length ones I have.


I then suspended the car from my overhead gantry and removed the old springs and cut off all original spring mounts



I then tacked the front crossmember and welded the rear eyes to a peice of 65x10 flat bar 120 long. I then tacked these into place and trial fitted the springs for shackle angle etc.
I have chosen front springs as opposed to using rears as I have enough flex and want to keep it more riged for when I get alot more power in the near future. Upon trialing I found I had and an incorrect pinion angle. I knew that was going to happen anyway. So I milled up a pair of sutible caster wedges.
I trialed these and was happy with the pinion angle






Mount were then fully welded, painted and then was reassembled



I have not flex it up yet but when I get a chance I will and Ill post pics

[just_cruizin]

Firstly nice shed

Got a couple of comments
1. Why didn't you push the diff forward
2. Coupled with the spring over what's your total lift
3. Passenger side shackle angle looks to acute, should be more vertical I would think
4. The 40x40 looks like it may need to be cut back to avoid fouling on the spring

[SierraDan]

Could the shims be unnecessary by bringing the front mounting point higher?

[just_cruizin]

SierraDan wrote:

Could the shims be unnecessary by bringing the front mounting point higher?

If the front goes higher the shim would need to be thicker. As it is I personally think the pinion angle will cause issues with the steering geometery as the camber and toe adjustment will be wrong but this is a result of the spring over more then the reversal.

I think reversal are a great idea if you can get the front up high enough, with the weld under the chassis I don't see much advantage as the approach angle is still pretty bad, well hasn't improved much.

this mod affects bumpsteer, actually reverses it, I'm have no experience with it so maybe someone else can comment on this.

[zookprojectfnq]

the diff is pushed forward as the low range kit has several holes and I have used the rear one. I have alsonow redrilled the main leaf 20mm forward. As I am sprung over axle with High steer and dropped pitman arm I have no bump steer. Front clearance is awesome. the bottom of the front mount would be alt leased 600mm off the ground The military wrap I have since had to cut off when I redrilled the main leaf and slipped the rest forward.
Rear shackle angle is Ideal young player. A vertical shackle means your relying on your spring only for shock absorbsion rather then this combined with lateral movement

[just_cruizin]

Drivers side is fine but the passenger side isn't. You have left yourself with very minimal extension length for when the spring grows in point to point length. You'll end up inverting your shackle very easily, it may just pop back every time due to the angle of the chassis etc but it'll be noisy as hell and will damage the spring more importantly.

On a rear shackle set up you can effectly get away with a more vertical shackle due to the direction of the force on the tyre, under compression the tyre will move up and back where as in the original configuration the tyre has to move forward under spring compression. ( This is purely for the others reading this as I'm sure you are well aware of this and it's the main reason for the conversion)

Sorry, I was referring to roll steer as opposed to bump steer.

[JrZook]

Does have a point Chris. Did you set up the shackle hanger spacing by fully compressing the main leaf? How close does teh shackle come to inverting/touching the chassis under full compression?

[SierraDan]

just_cruizin wrote:

SierraDan wrote:

Could the shims be unnecessary by bringing the front mounting point higher?

If the front goes higher the shim would need to be thicker.

I looked at that backwards

[zookprojectfnq]

Tested it at full flex. all works well. No problems. the shackle angle might have been different because whe the photo was taken it was half in the shed half out on ueven ground. The opposite side shackle does not touch the chassis. there is still a fair bit of clearance there.

[just_cruizin]

From when I was building trailers chassis mount separation was equal to spring length along the curve minus shackle length then add 15 or 20mm

[sprungupcruiser]

The shackle angle looks fine to me Chris. Any particular reason you did the shackle reversal? Hahaha

[zookprojectfnq]

Cause I keep bending the bastards when I hit things like big rocks and the shackle on the front allows it to move back and bend the main leafs as you would have seen at Mackay Rob.

[sprungupcruiser]

hahaha, yep, it was a good effort getting the springs back to straight using the backhoe. I laughed when i saw it, I laughed a lot.