Shackles

[J_C]

Do I really need Warrior 153 shackles? They're out at Amazon, now $110+ everywhere else before even considering the bolts and bushings... bolts I can find anywhere, but I don't see a lot of people talking about the bushings, apparently they hadn't gone this long in a salted winter environment?

I will likely need frame to shackle bushings, maybe even spring to shackle bushings. Is it really going to be $50 each or a ~$70 Energy Suspension kit just to get bushings? That seems like a lot of money for a piece of rubber with a steel sleeve inside and out.

It seems really expensive for what they are, then I see these ebay kits that include the (frame to shackle?) bushings for around $40. Is it really going to be cheaper to get an entire kit and reject the shackles themselves just to get bushings out of them?! Or if I don't expect the tour of duty on the shackles to be a decade because rust will do the rest of the vehicle in before then, use the shackles too?

NEW REAR LEAF SPRING SHACKLE REPAIR KIT PAIR SET FOR FORD EXPLORER MOUNTAINEER | eBay

Then there's the following, which I'm sure aren't as good as the Warriors, but it's just two steel plates with holes, how bad could they be?
Rear Shackle 1.5" Lift Kit Explorer 95-05 2WD 4WD | eBay

I don't really need a lift, but am already getting one from rear coilover shocks to help a sagging rear end, so a little lift from the shackles would ease the preload on the upper shock crossmember... it already broke the lower shock mounts (80% due to rust I'm sure but the extra weight on them couldn't have helped) which were recently replaced, but the shock upper crossmember isn't such an easy bolt-on replacement when the part doesn't exist, would have to be fabricated.

Then there's the make your own option, which I could do but then I'm still probably needing the bushings. Should I just get the $40 ebay shackles linked above and put them on, then swap them out later if they rust too much? Would these Prothane 6-810-BL, specified for '91-'94, fit the frame to shackle position?
Prothane 6-810-BL Rear Frame Shackle Bushings 91-94 Explorer/ Mazda Navajo-Poly | eBay

 

[J_C]

Decided to go ahead and order parts while the info was fresh in my head... so many scattered topics about this.

The ebay shackles I linked are Protune, got them in 1" lift direct from their site. Ordered very late last night and they're already shipped so they're on the ball.

Rear Lift Kit For Ford Explorer 1991-2018 2WD 4WD

Rear Shackle 1" Lift Kit Explorer 1991-1994 4WD Increased ground clearance. 100% bolt-on installation. Factory OEM ride quality. Free Shipping

www.protunesuspension.com

Had to accept that the price of bushings is what it is and got the Energy Suspension 4.2124G set at a discount from Amazon Warehouse, accepting that the front spring eye bushings won't fit, and some 9/16" x 4.5" bolts. Edit: 4.5" is long enough without washers but to use washers with these shackles they need to be at least 4.75", with 5" being more common.

If anyone needs them, the Prothane 6-1019 version of the bushing set currently has 4 listings up on ebay that're cheaper than the regular price of the ES 4.2424G:

Prothane 6-1019 for sale | eBay

Get the best deals for Prothane 6-1019 at eBay.com. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items!

www.ebay.com

 

[J_C]

Received the Protune shackles today, 2nd Day USPS which was nice. They look plenty beefy for my non-rock-crawler purposes, would have been very happy with the value of these but there is one substantial issue.

The 1" lift size I chose, is 6.5" bolt hole center to center. The stock shackle is 5.5" bolt center to center, and you need twice as much bolt centers distance increase as the target lift increase, so at 1" longer they'll only give 1/2" lift.

It looks like you have to order these rated for twice the lift you want to get out of them (unless they sent me the wrong part but otherwise it looks right, they offer none with shorter than 1" claimed lift).

 

[J_C]

Still waiting on a response from Protune Suspension about their shackles potentially giving only half the lift they're rated for.

Got some 4.5" bolts. They are 1/4" too short to use with these shackles unless I don't use washers.

Something I hadn't thought about was that with rubber bushings you don't want the nuts too tight or else they'll bind. What about polyurethane, is it supposed to bind the bolt to the bushing sleeve, then the sleeve turns in the bushing instead of the bolt in the sleeve?

Edit: Heard back from Kevin at Energy Suspension, the sleeve is supposed to (can, is able to?) rotate in the bushing but the shackle needs to not have any sharp edges that tear into the bushing, should have those edges removed or a washer of matching ID to the sleeve OD put on between the two. With the Protune shackles that doesn't seem to be a problem though I may smooth the shackle side interface a little once I see how it fits.

 

[J_C]

Hmm, one of my Energy Suspension spring eye bushings is the wrong part. Glad I noticed that before tearing anything apart. Kevin at Energy Suspension to the rescue! He's sending a replacement.

Protune Suspension on the other hand, I haven't heard a peep from, after both sending them an email and using their Contact Us webpage 4 days ago.

For reference here are the Energy Suspension part #s in the 4.2124 kit and where they go:

4 x 2061 Spring Front Eye Bushings (not usable, fits 1st gen Explorer, 2nd gen Explorer needs addt'l kit 3.2125 and to not remove the original front spring eye bushing sleeves)
4 x 2086 Spring Rear Eye Bushings
2 x 2089 Upper Shackle, Frame Bushings
2 x 2090 Upper Shackle, Frame Bushing Thrust Washers (also polyurethane)
6 x metal sleeves - in every bushing location
2 x Silicone Grease Packets (aka Formula 5)

 

[Jason94sport]

LOL @ one man thread.......
I have the warrior shackles. I wouldn't buy anything else just because they are proven, fit & hold up well. I gained maybe an inch of lift but that basically leveled out the sagging rear springs. No difference in ride quailty. Had a set on 3 1st gens as well.

 

[J_C]

^ I just couldn't justify the $110+ current pricing for Warriors, considering I'd have been fine with same Motorcraft OE (or Dorman/etc) factory design that has lasted 22 years. They still haven't failed but I feel like they're a ticking time bomb due to rust.

The Protune shackles are plenty beefy for my uses, an upgrade over OE that I didn't even need, but why not if the delivered price is about the same?

I really would have liked some acknowledgement from Protune that their lift ratings are off so they can adjust that spec, so people get the lift they expect out of them instead of half that, but my rear isn't sagging. I can make do with 1/2" lift (really it'll probably be closer to only 1/4" since that's taking some load off the Monroe Load-A-Just coilover shocks I've got on it).

 

[Turdle]

I think the added travel from the shackles might help ride quality a bit. The monroes ride pretty rough but what are you gonna do?

 

[J_C]

^ Around here it's mostly hills and curves, so I just accept the rough ride for a more controlled rear end. I thought about a larger sway bar, but never really drove it hard, now it's more about rubber aging so I'll throw an ES rear sway bar bushing kit on it.

One of the ebay sellers of the Prothane version of the ES 4.2124G kit has dropped the price again to $35 delivered... cheapest I've ever seen it, would be a deal for someone who needs them:

1991-94 Ford Explorer Prothane 6-1019-BL Rear Spring Eye & Shackle Bushing Kit | eBay