Shackles and Steering Angles (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Feb 12, 2007
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Location
Tallahassee, FL
I want to get some thoughts on the steering set-up my 40 came with. I've downsized to some 32's in an effort for less "squirrly steer", and want to possibly drop down the height a bit with some shorter shackles before getting an alignment. Any thoughts on the steering set-up and angles, and what shackles to go with? I'm not sure how much over stock I'm truly at now. It's supposed to be a 4 inch Skyjacker lift. Also what kind of stabilizer can I run with the conversion? There's nothing in place now. Is that one of my major problems?

Steering taken from close to level with axle.
steeringfromdrivers.jpg


PSbox.jpg


armoffsteeringbox.jpg


steeringcouple.jpg



Rear Shackle

rearshackle.jpg


Front Shackle

frontshackle.jpg


Also is the spring pack missing a leaf of does this look correct

leafspringclamp.jpg
 
stabilizer is a band aid.

i do not run one with my sag steering, when were your knuckels last rebuilt (bearings etc,)
 
No idea. I've only had the rig a couple weeks and I'm just trying to figure out my next step and what all's been done to date. Any thoughts?
 
pita but i would rebuild the front end. maybe go back o stock length shackles as well
 
Your "squirrly steer" is due to the extended shackles with the skyjacker 4" lift and no caster shims. You suffer from a lack of caster. Install a 4 degree shim in the front and you will wonder how you ever drove the truck in the current state. I used to run the *exact* shackles and lift you are running and thought I was going to die until I got some 4 deg shims for the front. Install with the fat part towards the front of the truck to tilt your axle back. Because of your draglink angle you will probably still have some bumpsteer but you will notice a huge difference once you have caster.

And you are not missing a leaf spring, that is how they come.
 
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Your "squirrly steer" is due to the extended shackles with the skyjacker 4" lift and no caster shims. You suffer from a lack of caster.
Because of your draglink angle you will probably still have some bumpsteer but you will notice a huge difference once you have caster.

.


X2

negative caster and bump steer would be a pretty "squirrly" ride.
 
i could be wrong, but maybe a drop pitman arm would also help the bump steer.
 
That box is a few inches further forward than most I have seen. This results in a bit of a double direction thing...your lift took your drag link and tie rod out of alignment and the far forward box mount took the alignment even further away.
You could move teh box back a bit. Move the front end forward (you can get 1" by redrilling the spring perch pin holes).
Or you can get a longer drop pitman arm. This one kicks but...
Grand waggie... You could also try a scout 2 pitman arm. I had one for a while but it was longer than I needed.
Grand waggie vs YJ pitmans2.jpg
 
Putting a longer pitman arm on in an attempt to change the alignment of the draglink is not the way to go. Longer pitman arm produces quicker steering (fewer turns of the steering wheel for the same amount of turn of the wheels/tires). Usually not a good idea. Especially with steering that is already squirrelly.


Mark...
 
Putting a longer pitman arm on in an attempt to change the alignment of the draglink is not the way to go. Longer pitman arm produces quicker steering (fewer turns of the steering wheel for the same amount of turn of the wheels/tires). Usually not a good idea. Especially with steering that is already squirrelly.


Mark...
I thought that realigning the draglink (At least out of that major angle) with a drop pitman would provide smoother action and less wear to the draglink ends. The angle of the drag link in the first pics looks way wacky to me.

Mark - do you think that angle is ok? (I ask as I have a similar set up on my '71.)
 
Putting a longer pitman arm on in an attempt to change the alignment of the draglink is not the way to go. Longer pitman arm produces quicker steering (fewer turns of the steering wheel for the same amount of turn of the wheels/tires). Usually not a good idea. Especially with steering that is already squirrelly.


Mark...

Would a drop arm of the same length be the best of both worlds?

If I wanted to drop things another inch with some shorter shackles, what would that be over stock? It seems most are labeled that way rather than by their length.

Thanks for all the help
 
I think that one of the reasons that folks generally run longer shackles with lift springs is that since the spring is more curved, it will be longer as it compresses and flattens.
 
I thought that realigning the draglink (At least out of that major angle) with a drop pitman would provide smoother action and less wear to the draglink ends. The angle of the drag link in the first pics looks way wacky to me.

Mark - do you think that angle is ok? (I ask as I have a similar set up on my '71.)


A dropped arm would help. You want your drag link to be as close to horizontal as possible to reduce bumpsteer. Won't really affect the "smoothness" of the steering though.
With a steep angle of the draglink when the rig is sitting static, you may actually find that under high flex, the tierod end runs out of movement range. But an SUA rig with lift sorings usually won't flex enough to run into this problem.

The forward location of the box and the angle that results is pretty common with this type of Saginaw conversion. Usually results in some degree of misaligned steering. That is, you have fewer turns of the steering wheel in one direction from center than the other.


Mark...
 
I think that one of the reasons that folks generally run longer shackles with lift springs is that since the spring is more curved, it will be longer as it compresses and flattens.

I agree, I thought it was necessary to run the longer shackles with lift springs to allow the springs to fully flex and flatten.
 
If I wanted to drop things another inch with some shorter shackles, what would that be over stock? It seems most are labeled that way rather than by their length.


A shackle that lifts your truck 1" will be 2" longer than a stock shackle. I got my steel weld-on shims from Roger Brown at 4crawler.com. Try here for a bunch of good info and ordering instructions...

http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/ForSale/Shims.shtml#Questions


Ed
 
move the steering box back 3" and get the shimms. it sucks that some cob put the box so far forward. Another solution is to flip the front springs, that would slove the misalignment and bring your caster back a little so 2* shims would work or maybe no shims.
 
Brian Noon

Hi i am new here. i own a 67fj and love it i am restoring bit by bit. My baby has a Chevy 283 w/3sp on the floor 12.000 pto winch:)
 

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