While ago I was crawling under my truck to grease the u-joints, when I noticed that there's a broken shackle!





Huge luck that I found out that when I was at the shop, and not at the side of a road, so I just welded it together. I should have seen that much earlier, because of flatbed they are quite visible, and on a drivers side! Guess that shackle didn't like the load when I was moving wood from stack to splitter



Anyways, thought about getting new shackles from Rockauto, but last week I noticed a hole on a shackle bracket! So that goes, too. Good time for a flip. Eventually I'd like to link the rear, but that's been in process for like years, and it has so many variables to get it done, so I'm just going with the flip for now. Maybe it turns out so good that I ditch the links for good...

The problem. I like the way my truck sits now. Rear is all stock, except for the shock location. Front has 2,5" leveling kit, so it has nice, level stance now. To my knowledge, all the flip kits provide some amount of lift. And the fact that they cost quite a lot of money to get overseas, I'm going to build my own. Now I'm just looking for couple of measurements.

Q #1: When I remove the block, how much does the rear spring eye moves downward? I could try to calculate it, but math has never been my strongest skill It's block height + some extra. I could just throw some random number and play with shackle length to get it right, but it would suck to have too tall frame bracket. Nor I don't want to have too long shackles, either.

Q #2: On these kits, does the shackle eye stay in a stock location, in a lengthwise to frame?

Q #3: I need a degree shim between the axle and the spring, am I right?

 

When you remove the block, the axle will move up. Spring eye will stay in the same place.

Not sure what you mean there.

Probably.

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/2nd-gen...ckle-flip.html

Shackle flip from diy4x4. It isn't that expensive.

 

No it's not. But add shipping, taxes and customs, and suddenly we have about 500€ on parts (on $ it's in a same range).

 

What I was after, is that when frame, and the axle stay in current location, and when I remove the block, and the shackle w/bracket, rearmost spring eye will drop down because front is still attached to frame. When I know this new location of the spring eye, I can design new frame bracket for the shackle, and keep the shackle length somewhat reasonable.

 

I suspect it is going to be a fraction of an inch lower than the height of the block, once compressed. (truck weight sitting on it.) I don't think the difference due to that end of the spring traveling an arc, instead of dropping straight down, is really going to be all that significant.

 

You will need a zero rate block (spring) http://www.offroaddesign.com/catalog/Zero%20Rates.htm. Doing the shackle flip pushes the axle forward and the zero rate allows you to center the axle/wheel in the wheel opening on the body. Be sure to account for the 1" it will raise the rear of the truck. You will also need a degree shim like you mentioned to keep your pinion angle in check. A 7* shim i believe (don't quote me on that, lol).

 

The axle won't move forward enough to worry about. Especially if he takes the block out to keep the same height. Might need the angled shim though.

 

This is what I used
https://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com...og/UNFLIP.html
You might need some additional pieces but this was the best price I could find.
Quality of their stuff is awesome.

 

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it! Axle location really in'st an issue, because I still haven't build any fenders on that flatbed