Anti-Inversion Shackles

[CruisinGA]

Does anyone have any pics of Sor Anti-Inversion shackles installed? I'm not sure which pair are front and which are rear, and which way they are supposed to be positioned. I guess its supposed to be obvious, I just don't want to screw anything up and have to get back in there later.

 

[Halo3]

This post serves no purpose other than to remind myself to search through my e-mail when I get home. I did go with the AI shackles when I installed my 4" Skyjacker lift back in December, and I had to exchange some e-mail with SOR's Tech Support staff in order to find out the answer to this very question.

Now, I do remember them stating a couple of things:

1.) The are anti-inversion shackles, not tow shackles like some people put on their Heeps. Hence, the third pin faces inward (towards the axle).
2.) &nbspepending on orientation & placement of these shackles, the third pin can either be slightly higher than the lower leaf spring pin, or just below the frame pin. They should work normally in either orientation, but there was a suggestion for one way over the other. Unfortunately, between not having my Cruiser here & being at work, I cannot rightfully remember which way was stated as the preferred/optimal method of installation. (Although, I am leaning towards the pin being in the inward facing, lower position.)


I'll post again once I get home & dig up that e-mail...

 

[CruisinGA]

Thanks, I knew the 3rd pin faced inward, but I wasn't sure whether the inner pin should be higher or lower, and two of the shackles have the pin located closer to one of the actual spring pins. If you could post when you find that email I would really appreciate it. I'll take some pictures and post them to see if that helps someone make a suggestion as to which way.
Did you buy the greasable pins for the immobile spring mounts or just pack them with grease, or not pack them with grease, Halo?

 

[woody]

the inner pin should be higher to prevent the shackle from extending past the 45 degree mark.

 

[theferg]

Hopefully I'm not way outta line here and I don't wanna hi-jack the thread, but seein' as how we're talking about them... Has anybody ever tried fabbing their own anti-inversion shackles?

 

[CruisinGA]

If you had the time, it wouldn't be bad, hell you could even make your own greasable pins. All depends on how much time you have. $170 a set from specter is not bad.

 

[78crzr]

Here are a few pictures of how the AI Shackles should look - put them on 2 months ago and they've been great.

 

[78crzr]

And the front....

 

[78crzr]

Halo3,

In looking at your picture of "Tony" on your website, you are correct in that you did install them with the pin downward.  I'm wondering now if I installed mine upside down?  Man that would suck if I had to go back and reverse 'em?!  Anyone else know?

CruisinGA check out Halo3's sight for the picture.
http://home.attbi.com/~fj40.1978

 

[CruisinGA]

the inner pin should be higher to prevent the shackle from extending past the 45 degree mark.

This sounds right, and makes sense so I guess this is what I will do. Just one more question PLEASE!
Should I grease the bushings and pin on the frame immobile spring mount? (side of spring opposite from shackle) I don't have greasable bolts in there, so should I pack it or just coat everything?

 

[woody]

coat everything

 

[Brog]

I thought about having some laser cut from a machine shop which would be cheap but having them plated and buying the greasable bolts made me just buy them from SOR. I got the pins to since I was at it. The third shank needs to be on top and go ahead and grease everything that has to do with suspension or steering. If you don't have to wipe any off, you didn't use enough. (I think there's a joke in there somewhere) Anyway, make sure you put the pins into the frame first, then the shackles. It's alot easier to line up the shackle last than it is to beat the pins into the frame. &nbspon't tighten the u-bolts until all of the pins are in either.
GL,
Brog

Anybody know how I can get that oil out of my girlfriends driveway?

 

[Halo3]

I went with greasable pins, new poly bushing, and a set of SOR's U-bolt skid plates all the way around when I did my lift.  If you're going to do something, you may as well do it right!!  Right?!  

I busted out the Dremel & got all the crap out of the frame holes, and greased everything liberally before installing.  As Brog said, "If you don't have to wipe any off, you didn't use enough."  I even pre-loaded the spring pins & shackle pins with grease so that I wouldn't be displacing the grease I put on & around the bushings when I started pumping grease into them.


Okay, and now, here is the e-mail I got from SOR's Tech Support:

---

-----Original Message-----
From: SOR Technical Assistance [mailto:tech@sor.com]
Sent: Thursday, January 02, 2003 2:50 PM
To: Lyle Huber
Subject: RE: Tech Question Confirmation


There is no problem running the shackle in this attitude. Since the shackle hanger in the front has the long gusset pointed to the rear, in the way of the third pin in the upper position. This shackle will still do its job. The pin will still keep the spring from becoming lodged up against the frame rail. In the rear since the gusset is not in the way the pin can be run in the upper position. Either attitude is ok as long as the 3rd pin is
positioned inward.

Regards,
Tech

---

At present, I have the fronts installed one way and the rears installed the other way.  My initial tests max-articulation have only shown that I either need to get longer rear shackles (not likely, as I want to keep the AI shackles), or put longer axle snubs in to prevent the back tires from chewing on the edge of the rear fenderwells.  At any rate, I figured I would run them in this attitude for a while, and have someone checking out how things look when I get into some good four-wheeling this spring.

EDIT: Feel compelled to also state that I left the fronts in the downward position because of the aforementioned gusset on the frame. Seems like there would be more limitation in the front axle's articulation if I had left the pin in the upward position. Just a thought...

 

[CruisinGA]

I found the same thing today when installing, thanks Halo. I found that the shackles just wouldn't fit in the front with the pin in the "upper attitude" cause of that gusset. In the rear I ran them in the "upper attitude" So far so good. I'm just really mad at myself for not ordering new bushings for the shackles.

 

[denis]

I have a set of those on my cruiser with 4" springs, and I think they were designed a bit conservative... I mean they look like they limit updravel and droop quite a lot more than what's just necessary... ???
I think I'm going to build some with an improved design