Who makes the best shackles?

[VTCruiser]

I am looking at buying a set of shackles to mate to my lift springs to fit 33's on my 60. I am looking for 1.5"-2" of additional lift and of course with greasable pins etc. The question is simply who makes the best?

TIA

 

[jesterb]

I have OME anti-inversion which provide 0" lift. I like the way coolcruisers' "Hell for Stout" shackles look. Decent price too. There not anti-inversion but unless you drive like me you don't really need that.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I don't deal much with Man-a-Fre but check out their 4+ line of shackles. I'm using them on the back of my 40 and after 2 trips through the Rubicon, I'm impressed. They are triangulated, greasable and very stout. The side plates are 3/8 steel plate which is 3 times thicker than stock. At any rate, worth a look and cheaper than OME but just by a little.

 

[VTCruiser]

oh ok i wasn't sure if OME shackles provided lift. thanks for clearing that up. I was looking at the HFS earlier and they don't look bad, anyone have them? I'll look into 4plus too, thanks.

any other good options out there?

 

[Overlord]

How about a .5-1" shackle lift along with a 1" body lift? This is the route I'm going to go with. I have some rubbing in the rear. I'm also going to remove a leaf or two in the rear to soften the ride. Hence the need for even more lift.

 

[elpfj60]

i am using 3" shackles from spectre off road. they're not on the website, but u can call and order them...they lifted the front 3", not 1.5", so they are very long, but greasable pins and all, i can clear a 33x12.50 easily, but am running 31's now

 

[VTCruiser]

elpfj60 - I don't think I want quite that much extension, only half that really but you got any pics?? just curious....

I don't really wnat a body lift, I think 1.5" shackles will do the trick for me, but what would be the benefit of going with a body lift instead?

 

[elpfj60]

i'm not a big fan of body lifts, i don't like the idea of stretching all my cables(carb, brake lines, etc) even an inch more than they should, go suspension all the way, i don't have pics right now, but i went(with 31's) from 34 inches from the ground to the top of the wheelwell to 37.25 inches, and with the 33 (borrowed from a friend) i have close to 40, and about 4inches or so from the top of the tire to the wheelwell (about3.5 or so) if you want 1.5 inches from a shackle lift, then get 3inches longer than stock because u only get half the actual lift...my shackles are about 6inches longer than stock, but i am very happy with them

 

[Overlord]

elpfj60 - I don't think I want quite that much extension, only half that really but you got any pics?? just curious....

I don't really wnat a body lift, I think 1.5" shackles will do the trick for me, but what would be the benefit of going with a body lift instead?

If you want 1.5" of lift, then you'll need a 3" longer than stock shackle. Front shackles are approximately 3" bolt hole to bolt hole. Rears are approximately 3.5". So, you'll need a 6" shackle.

A body lift will allow you to run bigger tires without the draw backs of a shackle lift. Longer shackles negatively effect your approach angle and it also effects your caster. So, shims will be in needed.

 

[Overlord]

i'm not a big fan of body lifts, i don't like the idea of stretching all my cables(carb, brake lines, etc) even an inch more than they should, go suspension all the way, i don't have pics right now, but i went(with 31's) from 34 inches from the ground to the top of the wheelwell to 37.25 inches, and with the 33 (borrowed from a friend) i have close to 40, and about 4inches or so from the top of the tire to the wheelwell (about3.5 or so) if you want 1.5 inches from a shackle lift, then get 3inches longer than stock because u only get half the actual lift...my shackles are about 6inches longer than stock, but i am very happy with them

I'm not a big fan of body lifts either until I saw a small 1" on a 60. The 1" body lifts on 60 aren't bad at all. The body hangs below the frame, so a 1" lift isn't even noticeable unless you look closely.

 

[jasond73fj40]

A word of caution.
I bought some confer's, they work well enough with poly bushings, but if you get new rubber bushings as I did they don't. Toyota parts are metric, aftermarket shackles aren't - well not the ones I have seen.


jason

 

[VTCruiser]

Shims eh? can you elaborate a little on this? are they sold seperate from shackles?

 

[wildman4wheeler]

yes

 

[wildman4wheeler]

you can get them from sor

 

[VTCruiser]

roger that

I think I am leaning toward SOR's "performance" 2.5"s with greasable pins and poly bushings. The best price and they seem to have everything I am looking for. anyone have some experience with these?

 

[elpfj60]

after i installed the shackles, i put it on the alignment rack at my shop and it didn't throw the caster off that much at all, close to 1 degree on each side, but nothing noticable while driving...I don't see anything wrong with a 1-2 inch body lift if you want to fit bigger tires, and since most of our originals are all worn out anyway...why not? with the shackles, I haven't noticed any negative affect offroad, but I don't have any additional lift. oh and i do have pics, but don't know how to post...???