What about hogshead angle?

[Rob Slade]

I've heard that if you put extended shackles on an explorer, you have to readjust your hogshead angle, otherwise it will wear and mess up everything. Let me know what everyone else thinks of this and if this will be a problem.

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Rob Slade
'95 XLT 4x4
30x9.5 All Terrain KO's
K&N Air Filter System
Manik: Grill Guard
Taillight Guards
Step-Up Bars
Surco Safari Rack
2 Hella Black Magic's
4 Hella 500's
2 Punch DVC 10's
More to come...

 

[GJarrett]

Well, I guess I'm stupid. I don't know what a hogs-head is unless you eat it. My shackles work great. I've got the first set they produced and I've got 30,000 trouble-free miles on them. I have no idea where in the world you heard that or why it would be a problem.

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Gerald
"Nerves of Steel; Brain of Chipmunk"
'99 Eddie Bauer 4x4 4.0L SOHC aka "The Jeepeater"
Dead Link Removed
"What the heck is he doing out here in that thing???"

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hi Rob,
What's a hogshead angle and how do you adjust it?

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Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC
Dead Link Removed

 

[Andy97XLT]

The what angle?
I've the Warrior Shackles for about 1K miles and love 'em.

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Happy Wheelin,

Andy Statland
'97 XLT 4.0L OHV 4Dr 4x4
Warrior Twist

 

[Paul Gagnon]

Shims are probably the easiest way to do it. I don't know if it is really necessary but then again a shackle lift does change it quite a bit more than an add a leaf would.

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Paul Gagnon
Calgary, Alberta
"No Brain, No Pain"
Dead Link Removed

Technically Velveeta isn't REALLY cheese... it's a cheese food...
The stuff that other cheeses eat... I guess.

[This message has been edited by Paul Gagnon (edited 04-21-2000).]

 

[wabbit]

I'm guessing that Rob is referring to the rear differential(hogshead). Looking at it from the side it does resemble a hog's head.
Lifting the suspension would change the angle of the drive shaft relative to the diff. Even though this has to be considered when doing bigger lifts, I don't see where a shackle lift would require re-alignment of the diff. In fact, for the same resulting lift height, an add-a-leaf would effect the diff/driveshaft alignment more than an extended shackle because the shackle would result in a slight rotation of the axle/spring assembly. Thus, raising the "hogs nose" to point more toward the drive shaft approach angle.

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'91 Explorer XLT 4WD

 

[GJarrett]

Ohhhh...... yeah, I guess it does sorta look like one. Pumpkin, hogshead, whatever. If that's the question there's not nearly enough lift from a shackle to have to worry about that.