jeep shackles

[easgle-keeper]

can anyone tell me what kind of jeep i should inquire about to get shackles that fit my 95 XL 4wd

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[NightHawk]

I have shackles for the rear of a CJ/front YJ on my '93 But I had to modify them to work right.

Jeeps use a 1/2" bolt and your explorer uses a 9/16" bolt, so you will have to drill out the holes and then buy some grade 8 9/16" bolts. You will have to measure how wide you new shackes are and then get a bolt that is long enough to fit. Your stock bolts will not be long enough. I think I used 4.5" bolts and they are technically too short. You may want to go with 4.75".

There is also a crossmember in the shackles that will need to be cut and moved down 1.25" and then rewelded. Otherwise it will hit the frame under compression causing the spring not to extend, potentially causing some real damage.

You will probably be better off getting some shackles made for an explorer rather than trying to make the jeep shackles work. I don't know who makes the shackles for the explorer but I recall reading some messages about them. Do some research and see what you can come up with. The Jeep shackles will work and they are REALLY stout. But it will take some work. You won't be able to just bolt them on. Good luck!

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Happy Trails!
'93 XLT
Many Mod's
http://members.efortress.com/swankmi/

 

[GJarrett]

It's a little bit simpler than that.

Nighthawk, you are correct that using a J**p shackle will require a small amount of reaming out the hole with one size larger drill bit. The Explorer uses a 1/2" bolt just like the J**p but since the threads are force-died out (resulting in a larger thread diameter than 1/2"; about .535 if I remember correctly) you have to drill out a few more thousands/inch to clear the bigger threads. 9/16" works perfect. But that's all that is needed. The bolt itself is still 1/2". And the width/length of the bolt needed is the same. No need for longer bolts; you can use you stock ones if you so please.

A shackle commonly sold to lift a YJ 1.25" will be 7-7.5" high by 3" wide; a perfect fit to an Explorer. You can get good ones at a quality 4x4 shop with crossmembers already welded in for strength. Just do NOT tell them you are buying it for an Explorer, or they may not sell it to you. Some shops are leery of liability concerns if they find out you are going to put them on a vehicle a ton heavier than what they sold it to you for. You will have a very difficult time finding longer shackles for YJs because then you get into J**per agendas concerning the safety of perching their short-wheelbase vehicles up too far without backing the lift up with true suspension and body lift mounts.

Once the YJ shackle was installed on my '99 4dr, the crossmember never hit my frame or caused any problem. It helped correct the rear end sag/droop common on many newer Explorers. A fine member of this website (Tom Wilk) bought them from me when I lifted my vehicle further and as far as I know he has been very satisfied as to their efficacy. If he notices this thread maybe he'll second what I just said. I know they worked perfect for me before I went further up in lift.

I wore the shackles for 5,000 miles before selling them to Tom. I decided to do the torsion twist lift up front which would require more lift in the rear to match it. I needed a 8.5" shackle length then.

But the problem at the time (last summer) was there was no such thing for Jeeps, Explorers, or any other vehicle. The only option at that time was an add-a-leaf setup or re-arched custom springs, both way more expensive and way more stiff than shackles. (You could buy cheap ladders at Pep Boys with no crossmember but IMHO those are way too unstable for vehicles as heavy as ours.)

Dozens of long distance calls $$$ later to several companies and the ONLY one I found that decided to take a chance and tool up for us Explorer owners was Warrior. As far as I know they are still the only game in town.

You have a '95 that you can torsion twist up front for a little more clearance. If you want to keep your stock height in front and specifically want a shorter shackle designed for a YJ that would correct a rear-end sag, get those. But if you decide to do a torsion twist you'll need the longer Warrior shackles designed for twist-lifted Explorers.

Hope this helps.

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Gerald
"Nerves of Steel; Brain of Chipmunk"
~~~~~~~~~
'99 Eddie Bauer 4x4 4.0L SOHC aka "The Jeepeater"
Mods listed in my Explorer Registry post 7/8/99
Dead Link Removed "What the heck is he doing out here in that thing?"



[This message has been edited by GJarrett (edited 03-27-2000).]

 

[Tom Wilk]

Gosh, Gerald, I'm feelin' fine. Dead Link Removed

I will attest to the fact that these Jeep shakles work very well. I never noticed a difference in ride or handling when I changed them. It did take care of the rear end droop, and once I leveled everything out with the torsion bars up front, I ended up with the rear up about 3/4" (the shakles are about 1.5" longer than stock) and the front a bit higher as well, maybe 1/4 to 1/2".

The shakles are very heavy duty, not the stamped pieces that were original equipment. They are at least 1/4" stock, with a strong cross member welded in to form an H shaped part. The cross member does not hit the frame or the spring at all, nor does it hit the hitch.

To make a long story short, I am very satisfied with them. Gerald, maybe you could let Eaglekeeper know where you got them, as I'm thinking that they're aftermarket.

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Tom
99 Sport 4x4
SOHC
Auburn Rear & Gerald's old Shackles
265/75-R16 BFG AT's that weren't supposed to fit

 

[GJarrett]

DOH!
You're right, they're aftermarket. I bet Nighthawk is using real OEM Jeep shackles and they may have the crossmember positioned to where it hits an Explorer frame.

I don't know what brand they are. I bought them at 4wd Parts Warehouse here in Dallas, but when the mgr found out I bought them for an Explorer and not a Jeep, he actually tracked me down and insisted I return them! They look Very similar to the Warrior shackles we had built for us. They could be Warriors, though I seem to remember them being with a slip identifying them as another generic brand. It was 4wd Parts "house" brand that they have someone make for them. I bet Warrior makes them for them. Give me a day or two to look up my Warrior catalog and see if they make a shackle designed to lift a YJ 1.25". If they do, bingo. I'll get you a part # too if you want it.

[This message has been edited by GJarrett (edited 03-28-2000).]

 

[easgle-keeper]

GJarrett can you email me the address to this 4x warehouse in big D
i have certain contacts there and may be able to save some shipping
also got any contact info for warrior


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95 XL 4DR 4x4
stock sux cause stuck sux

 

[Hank]

Easgle-keeper,

I purchased the Warrior shackles from Desert Rat www.desertrat.com for 39.00. Overall lift was 1.5. Specifics are on an old post titled Cheap way of lifting.

These may be a faster and easier route than trying to fabricate, if required, a jeep shackle.

Best regards.
hg

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'91 EB, 4dr, 2wd
www.grimmick.com
hank@grimmick.com

 

[easgle-keeper]

i've looked into the warrior shackles and i'm looking into maybe trying to get just a little more out of it so i can fit 31x10.50's
i'll probably have to use a new shackle and an add-a-leaf to stiffen up the rear




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95 XL 4DR 4x4
stock sux cause stuck sux

 

[GJarrett]

I meant simply 4wd Parts when I said that. The nationwide chain with several stores. Here's a link to their online magazine www.4wheelpartsadventures.com

If you are looking for more lift, those J**p shackles will only give you about 3/4"; the Warrior shackles will give you twice that. The Warriors go for around $40 now and the 4wd Parts j**p lift shackles are $27.

I don't have a valid contact at Warrior for retail concerns; they will refer you right back to your local 4wd shop. They manufacture an extensive line of aftermarket Jeep products and any 4wd shop will carry their products. I believe several members here bought their shackles from Desert Rat in Tucson because when they were first produced, Desert Rat was the only retailer that took the trouble to contact their supplier Warrior and verify/find out that the Explorer shackles were about to come out. Our shackles are now in the Warrior supplier catalog that retailers have and anyone of them can look it up now, so it should be easy to get them anywhere without going to Desert Rat.

Hope this helps.

Gerald

 

[Hank]

Easgle-keeper

I have 31x10.5's on my 91 with just the shackles installed. For serious off-roading it may not be enough for you but you can see what it would be like at the link below.

Best regards.
hg

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'91 EB, 4dr, 2wd
www.grimmick.com
hank@grimmick.com

 

[eagle-keeper]

allright my truck thanks to you all for your help is now about 1-1/2" higher,level (looks level anyway)and rides like a truck instead of a very tall car

now onto bigger tires HEHEHEHEHE



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95 XL 4dr 4x4
1-1/2" shackle and twist
lift and level
daily driver

stock sucks cause stuck sucks