Looking for advice on fixing leaf bracket angle

[Weebs]

GOod afternoon Ih8mud!!!!!!!

So I installed a rough country lift (get what you pay for I guess) on my fj this labor day weekend. The front went great! No issues to report at all.

Unfortunately the back is another story. Pictured below is what I'm working with with both tires off the ground. As you can see the bracket angle is very bad. If I drop the FJ to the ground the brackets sag to the frame.

Is there anything I can do to fix this without pulling the leaf springs and weighting them outside of the body to flatten them out?

Any help will be appreciated!

 

[antFJ]

my rough country doesn't even come close to that bad... are you sure those are the right springs?

 

[Weebs]

my rough country doesn't even come close to that bad... are you sure those are the right springs?

I don't have anything to compare them to so I'm assuming they're the right springs haha

 

[copper204]

Is it possible to put front springs on rear and vice versa to cause that?

 

[Pearly]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the front and rear are the same length, just that the front has an extra leaf on the original springs.

 

[booty]

My RC lift had springs for the front and the rear, different numbers on the springs. I called Rough Country and the sales person told me which went where. I had no problems with mine and once they settled in some I was happy with the lift.

 

[bikersmurf]

Longer shackles would help... And then park it across a ditch at an angle.

 

[Weebs]

I knew I had it straight... I just went out to double check though.

Part 8041 is on the front and 8042 is on the back. So I did that right

I took pics just to be sure.


So bikersmurf. What do you mean by park in a ditch at an angle?

 

[BreckenridgeCruiser]

Longer shackles creates more leverage and will fix that.

 

[DSRTRDR]

let's see how it sits when you put it on the ground

 

[FouadHafeez]

I agree with DSRTRDR: please give us a picture of what the shackle angle looks looks like when the rig is seated on the ground.

Some more thoughts...

Are the rear springs exactly the same length from the centre bolt to the front and rear ends? Off-centric springs can cause strange shackle angles. On the rear of my 40, I was using Series 60 springs, and was getting a somewhat similar shackle angle (hardly any flex). Flipped it back to front, and it's perfect, now.

Longer shackles should theoretically solve the problem. Although I'm skeptical, since the problem seems to be too-short (or too-bent) springs rather than too-short shackles, per se.

Are you getting any lift at all at the rear, with a shackle angle like that? If not, and all else fails, you're probably going to have to tug the spring stack out, and flatten them (to make them longer) after all. Which will kind of defeat the purpose of the lift, since flatter springs mean less lift, anyways.

And finally...although I'm unaware of how your vendor might provide after-sales service...I pretty much think it devolves on THEM for their product to deliver. Before embarking upon costly experiments, giving them an earful and getting feedback, will always be a good idea.

Best of luck.

 

[tmarx]

Longer shackles creates more leverage and will fix that.

Ditto !

 

[AlexJet]

Looks like the springs are a bit short. What is your eye-to-eye distance on those springs when they are off the vehicle? Mine were 41.5" and when I put them on the 40, the shackles were almost vertical on the hoist.

 

[antFJ]

Wow didn't see it wasnt on the ground - that angle doesn't mean any thing with the weight of the axle/wheels pulling on the spring.. Get it on the ground.. If the shackles are straight up after you put it on the ground you're where you should be for brand new 4"SOA

 

[Weebs]

I agree with DSRTRDR: please give us a picture of what the shackle angle looks looks like when the rig is seated on the ground.

Some more thoughts...

Are the rear springs exactly the same length from the centre bolt to the front and rear ends? Off-centric springs can cause strange shackle angles. On the rear of my 40, I was using Series 60 springs, and was getting a somewhat similar shackle angle (hardly any flex). Flipped it back to front, and it's perfect, now.

Longer shackles should theoretically solve the problem. Although I'm skeptical, since the problem seems to be too-short (or too-bent) springs rather than too-short shackles, per se.

Are you getting any lift at all at the rear, with a shackle angle like that? If not, and all else fails, you're probably going to have to tug the spring stack out, and flatten them (to make them longer) after all. Which will kind of defeat the purpose of the lift, since flatter springs mean less lift, anyways.

And finally...although I'm unaware of how your vendor might provide after-sales service...I pretty much think it devolves on THEM for their product to deliver. Before embarking upon costly experiments, giving them an earful and getting feedback, will always be a good idea.

Best of luck.

I'll drop it to the ground tonight and get some more pics.

Thanks guys! More to come in 10 hours!

 

[Fast Eddy]

I'm guessing from your description that the shackles invert when you drop it down and the spring hits the frame in front of the hanger. Get yourself a nice used pair of anti-inversion shackles that are a little longer than what you have and it will probably work out fine. If you can't find used check Cruiser Outfitters or Cruisercorps.com.

 

[nuclearlemon]

when you set it down, use pry bars to pull the shackles/spring eyes back to keep it from inverting. once inverted, they will invert again more easily, so you don't want that to happen.

 

[Weebs]

Here's how it sits on the ground.

There is no weight in the back right now. Additionally I have emailed rough country. No reply as of yet.

 

[Fast Eddy]

It's not great, but it will work. Longer shackles = better shackle angle, at least in this case. Figure out how much weight you expect at a minimum and put in some sand bags or water cans and see what happens. They will settle out with some articulation.

 

[77TLCFJ40]

Come on guys! A longer shackle will make this angle even worse. Longer shackles don't make springs flatten out and lengthen. They just push the spring further away from the frame.


Put some weight on the rear and flex it to get the springs to settle in.