Here We Go. Shackle Question

This is my first post here, and my first early CJ build. I've had a few in the late 70s, and loved them. This one is a 1973 CJ5. I bought it to have something to work on with my son. I'm sure i'll post a lot about the protect and myself in the coming months / years (lucky you), but i wanted to ask a question that i am sure that i need a real picture and not just a hand drawing to understand.

The has a spring over conversion and is crazy tall. That's fine, but for some reason there's 4-5" shackles on this thing as well. There's clearance for at least 40"s and that's just dumb on this short wheel base. While i am building it to be mainly off road, i'd like it to be streetable too (not comfortable, just not crazy dangerous). It currently bounces all over the road and has over inflated 37"s on it. I am going to go to 35s and want to lower the shackles back to factory length, this should give me plenty of clearance for some nice articulation and if not i have saws and torches.

Ok all that to ask am i crazy or can i just not find shackles for this thing? The rear shackles that are on it are much thinner at the top (frame) than they are at the bottom (spring). Everything i have found are straight shackles. You can see with my very poorly drawn image the way that these are shaped.

Anyone have any information as to where to get me some of these? I don't have the measurements, but can get them if needed.

 

Welcome!

With that high of a lift, the PO might have added shackle length to help with driveshaft angles. It probably also messed up your caster angle and made it handle even worse than just it normally would on a spring-over on 37s.

If the springs are wider than the shackles, they are from a different vehicle, possibly a YJ. You might look into shackles from an XJ Cherokee. I can't remember what the top mount was like on them, but it might be something you could work with if you're creative.

The shackles you have might also be a custom bend to make what is there work. Having new ones made at a local shop might be a viable option if you are keeping the current setup.

 

Welcome from Ga.

 

Ditto you've either got late cj or yj springs. You may have to make/ get made something sane. A wide leaf soa can be reasonable but there are alot of nuances to dial in right. Welcome and as always we really like pictures here

 

Pictures is what is needed from the side.............along with taking some simple measurements. ( like the spring hanger width & also the spring width at both front and back)

With a spring over with standard length shackles and near -0- lift springs you still gain 4" plus lift by just moving the spring on top of the axle.......

Rough ride, bouncing...........could be many things....tires, shocks, over arched springs or the wrong angle on the shackles..........( Pictures)

Most spring over conversations work best with a long flat spring.........that has minimum lift......and can go negative.......which makes for a better ride and becomes more flexy off road.

 

You will need measurements but check these out.
https://www.summitracing.com/search/part-type/leaf-spring-shackles-and-hangers

But, as said by others...pictures will help get you the best advice.
Welcome from Michigan.

 

According to the width you could try what some people used to do in Europe. They used 80s Mitsubishi Pajero (here in the US called Montero or also maybe sold as a Dodge..) that were narrow at the top and wide at the bottom.




They kind of retain some sort of stock (or at least close to it) height. Or maybe easily the shackles for the conversion from CJ to YJ springs made by Rubicon Express for the CJs.

 

I'd echo what others have said. Seems like the best thing to do is figure out what you have on there first. Again, pictures and measurements will help. You may end up doing some fabrication to correct things. For a SPOA CJ5 on 35's you won't even need lift springs. Spring-Over can be a great solution for some folks if engineered well and built correctly. Although there are some common, proven formulas for SPOA, people use all sorts of different springs and suspension parts, including homemade spring hangers and shackles. And unfortunately it's often used as a cheap way to gain a lot of lift which then leads to a lot of problems (steering, drive line problems, ride stability issues etc, etc.)