problems with shackle bushing

The length of the shackle will determine the caster angle to some degree. The longer the shackle, the less caster. It's very common for a lifted Jeep to have less caster than the factory specifies - I don't know how much of this to attribute to longer shackles, and how much to attribute to a new spring geometry. I think the right thing to do is put together your new suspension, then take the Jeep to your favorite tire shop and have the alignment checked. When I installed my 2.5" BDS springs and Mcruff-made shackles which are about an inch longer than stock, the caster was about 1.5 degrees IIRC. I added a 5 degree shim to bring it back to the supposedly nominal range of 5-7 degrees.

Long shackles also affect tracking adversely from being so wobbly-kneed, but I think you have to go way long to see this effect.

I don't see any reason why you can't run the bushings of your choice - bronze greaseable, polurethane, silent block, or something else - and factory-length shackles. IMO you should measure regardless of stock length or not.

 

Thanks for the explanation. This will help me decide which way to go with replacing my springs. One last question . . . if you lift the front, do you have to lift the back by an equal amount? if you don't have to, should you?

 

Uh, yeah. You don't have to lift the back, but you'll always be driving uphill if you don't. And most want the extra clearance that a lift affords, so doing just the front kinda negates that.

 

Thanks. I do enough uphill driving as it is, so I don't need to add to it by only lifting the front. Appreciate the help.

 

How about just lifting the back? - you'd get better gas milage driving downhill all the time.

 

Pics of finished jeep, had to run to town at 7 this am to get two grease fittings then drove her into work.
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I just put it togeher so I could test drive and cruise around a little this weekend. Ordered hangers today so should have em to put on by next weekend.

 

So you're running with the rusty brackets?

Jeep looks good though.

 

yeah, not far or fast though. I figured as long as it was rivoted/bolted on well there really wasnt anywhere it could go, but I will be changing it very soon! I also thing I will be needing to drop the TC a little, it has a small vibe especially under power going up hill.

 

Looks great. Did you have to make any adjustments to your steering (tie rods, pitman arm) or drive shaft angles with the 2.5" lift? I wonder if you might want to trim the ends of those u-bolts down a bit.

 

I didnt have to make any adjustments to steering components, they all seem to be go to go. My driveshaft angle is a little more than I would like even though I did put some 2 or 3 degree shims in (cant remember the degree) so i will prob drop the TC an inch. I need to look at the ubolts, they didnt seem that long under the jeep but I looked at the pic and they look 5 feet long lol. Thanks everyone for the comments! I have many more projects to come on the jeep. I just took a meyer half cab and metal doors to the body shop yesterday, I have a new clutch setting in my office along with a webber carb and 2 barrel intake and ive been looking at nv4500's for the last few days....
I got the jeep a little over a year ago and have just been working on the essentials until recently. It was an old military jeep. I have some really neat pics from when I first got it, Here's a few[/URL][/IMG]
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A little frost on it in this one
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Good looking Jeep.fb