shackles/steering

anyone direct me where to get Heavy Duty shackles stock length for my 85 cj7. I just got it last week and put it on thr road today, the guy before me has long shackles on it and man does is DRIFT real bad. Before i go for an alignment I want to put stock legnth back on . Everything else under there looks good and tight but when I have someone turn the steering back and forth you can literally watch those shackles swaying side to side and the whole jeep moves from side to side over the axle ???? thanx cw

 

Most people just make their shackles.

 

I got Warrior Product shackles from Quadratec. They're maybe 1/2" lift or something like that. They have a welded crossbar that doesn't interfere with my military wrap springs. I prefer the welded crossbar vs the thru-bolt kind because they seem like they should be more rigid. They're simple and cheap and made in USA. No foo-foo greasable bolts or anything like that but I'm not into that stuff.

They're 1/2" lift shackles but I think that's just so there was room to weld in a crossbar. If you want stock height I don't think they'll have crossbars.

 

sounds to me like the bushings might need some attention. I have long (2" lift)shackles on mine and on the freeway my Jeep is arrow-straight, until the 35x12.5 Swampers get into a rut. But thats to be expected with that tire.
Your shackles themselves should not move side to side noticably.

 

the shackles on there now are about a year old, I remember when he put them on. BUt I agree they should not sway nearly as much as what im seeing, im going to replace sway arm bushings first because they are shot then ill take it from there.

 

Perhaps the issue is not so much the shackles as it is the geometry change from them. Longer front shackles will take away positive caster and cause the thing to wander. The more into the negative side of caster you get, the harder it is to go straight. Food for thought.

 

Im sure thats also the problem but I dont like the movement I see in those shackles when I have the wife turn the steering wheel from side to side Ive got a good inch or two of sway in the frame over the axle, it actually looks like the shackles could snap when doing that test. Im just going to lower it and start over. If I wanted lifted again Im going to do a spring kit instead of the shackle. Does anyone know of an aftermarket tracbar kit available for cjs , that would solve a lot of problems.

 

that sounds like a band-aid fix - not the right way to do it.
I'd go with a spring kit, myself. Nothing like doing it right the first time!

JMHO

 

I would loose the long shackles. Not only do they multiply the leverage they mess up the caster angles. It will also mess up the drive shaft angles on the rear and could cause vibration. New springs are always nice. The 85 CJ7 probably rides a lot better than the 5s to begin with. Lift springs will stiffen it up a bit. BDS makes some nice springs but there are a lot others to choose from. I have just had good luck with the BDS. Their heavy duty shackles are also pretty nice. They use a third bolt and a spacer as a center support. I don't think they are that expensive.

 

Maybe consider a front shackle reversal?