Extended Shackles

[Demonic]

Thinking about replacing my rather pitted shackles for a new set. if i was to get a set of extended shackles say 150mm long instead of 100mm long (example only here) would that raise the height of the vehicle? or would it be such a small increase that you wouldnt notice.

Cheers
Andrew

[vinceandrobyn]

Can't give you exact figures, but it will give you a noticable lift. We are going the other way on ours, dropping down off the extended shackles because our rear end is too high on the MU. I'll let you know how much difference it makes for us dropping down if you like.

[Demonic]

That would be great, Any info would be a help.

[mulover]

generally for every inch you add into your shackles you get half an inch of lift. So you will end up with 1 to 1 and a half inch lift depending on spring pack condition.

[geeves]

Think of your spring as a simple lever. Diff is mounted in the center and you move one end. Each 50mm you move the end gives 25mm in the center. Most people doing extended shakles have gone straight to 200mm with a brace in the center and pins rather than bolts to prevent crushing the bushes by overtightening. You can also do this with crush tube. If you use poly bushes you also need some method of greasing them which is easiest with greasable pins but I have seen a bolt drilled and crossdrilled with a grease nipple fitted.

[Demonic]

So with my 4bie on stock suspension with extended shackles on the rear would mean it will ride high at the rear and std at the front. will the BJF and torsion bar tweak adjust the front to suit? I remember another post saying that the BJF and TB adjust only increases front wheel travel and doesnt affect the ride height in the front.

[mulover]

The ball joint flip does nothing to the height, it only changes the wheels alignment (for the better) and gives you a little more travel. The torsion bar controls the height of the front, so all you need to do is adjust the torsion bars to the required height, do this a bit at a time and take it for a drive as they don't "settle" at the new height straight away.

[geeves]

Also disconect the sway bar before adjusting. Ive heard of a later bighorn that handled very differently turning each way. On right turns it would dip in the front. Took several trips to the wheel alignment man to figure out that although it was level once the sway bar was removed it was 2 inches different on each side

[Demonic]

so adjusting the torsion bar WILL raise the front to suit the shackles? (within reason of course)

But b4 doing so remove sway bar..
KK...
Thank muchly

[mulover]

You got it, also jack the vechile up nd let the wheel hang down when adjusting unless you've got big muscles!!!!!
Note, unless you want more show than go, there is no point adjusting the bars too high that the A arm won't touch the bump stop at full compression, as you are then loosing travel. I check mine by using a forklift to lift the wheel up or cross it up on a bank. I have them so they are not quite touching - about a 5mm gap

[geeves]

Spray the adjusters with a generous amount of crc or similar the day before adjusting. I have heard of the adjusters snapping. Its a 16mm bolt You have tables on what it takes to snap a bolt that size