Gonna make some 2" ext shackles, wanted to know what thickness steel you used, type?, re-use origninal pins?, weld in a cross bar? other tips before I start. any pics would be saweet.
Who has fabbed shackles (1 Viewer)
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Cruiserdrew
On the way there
I've made a couple of sets.
2 x 3/8 inch bar stock. Bored holes in a drill press so they are straight. The pin size is 18mm, I used high grade bolts. You will be changing bushings, so I think there is a bushing with a 5/8 hole that fits FJ60. 5/8 bolts are easier to find. You don't need the center "H" bar, in fact it is preferable not to have it.
It's important to keep the head of the bolt from turning. I welded on a bit of 1/4 stock to engage 1 flat of the bolt head and prevent it from rotating.
It isn't hard making shackles, but it's enough work, that buying one ready made is a decent plan. Look at the 4+ GSK bushings from MAF. These are the best available in my opinion.
2 x 3/8 inch bar stock. Bored holes in a drill press so they are straight. The pin size is 18mm, I used high grade bolts. You will be changing bushings, so I think there is a bushing with a 5/8 hole that fits FJ60. 5/8 bolts are easier to find. You don't need the center "H" bar, in fact it is preferable not to have it.
It's important to keep the head of the bolt from turning. I welded on a bit of 1/4 stock to engage 1 flat of the bolt head and prevent it from rotating.
It isn't hard making shackles, but it's enough work, that buying one ready made is a decent plan. Look at the 4+ GSK bushings from MAF. These are the best available in my opinion.
jvazquez53
El Tractor
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I'll keep the center bar, that's what kept the springs straight on my 60 in my recent accident. X2 on looking the ones from MAF.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/266222-el-tractor-rest-peace.html
I think that as far as design for extended shackles, CCOT's HFS shackles have all the needed features. Go greasable with the pins and since you are in there get a set of Aussie Poly bushings. It will really bring back that new truck feel.
2 x 3/8 bar stock like the other guys said, dont use the cross bar on the shackle itself, any good fastener shop should be able to get you the 18 mm bolts. they are expensive, tho.
I've built so many I've lost track. I always use the 3/8" x 2" flat bar as previously indicated as well as a mechanism to prevent the shackle from spinning on the bolt instead of with the bolt. It is true that the stock pins are 18mm, which is exactly 1mm shy of 3/4" which is what I have always used. (I do run a 3/4" drill bit through the bushings, but it yields very litle material.) I reccomend getting a grade 8, 3/4" bolt that you can hammer on without fear of messing up the threads when you need to remove it for some reason. The center piece should prevent you from over-tightenng the bolts and smashing the poop out of your bushings and well as keep the side plates paralell, but with precisely drilled holes in 3/8" plate, they would stay aligned pretty well without it. Drill the side plates as a pair so you get the holes at exactly the same spot on each side. If you do weld in a center piece, put the bolts in to align the thing before you weld it up.
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