Ok so I have read a bunch about the shackle flip. But I have some questions about spring combinations.

I have had my 78 150 for a few years. Just run around town with it on weekends and stuff. I've gotten around to addressing the abortion of a rear suspension set up the PO installed.



I actually had 3600lbs in the bed and this mess held it.

Anyway the plan was to remove the front 4" ranchos and replace with 4" deavers, ditch the helpers and install a set of springs out of a 96 F150 knowing that they weren't exactly the same. The ranchos ride like crap and the rears were constantly slapping on the helpers.

As I start pulling stuff apart I realize I really want to ditch the blocks that were used. I'm not going to be wheeling it to hard core and I know that the blocks will be fine but I just feel like its ghetto.

4" deaver spring pack is $550ish and shipping is another $100. Doable but kinda like buying a Barret when a .22 will do. I'm also more concerned with cargo capability than flex

So I'm thinking of going with the Sky flip brackets and everything I read says that the shackle angle sucks if you use the existing holes from the stock rivets and that the axle gets moved forward a bit.

So that being said the spring pack I have is 2" longer than what was in the and the pin is about an inch rearward of the old.



So what I'm getting at is would the extra 2" in spring length help the shackle angle and would difference in the pin address the issue of the axle moving forward? I plan on removing the stock block and adding a 4" 4 degree like recommended by sky.

 

no one here will ever flame you for getting rid of that abortion setup.
now if you said you did that abortion, well then it would be flame on!!!

 

My wife used to ask why I never took her or my son for rides. I showed her why when I had the wheels off. This was the good side. I'm kind of ashamed I let it go this long. The front end was no treasure either but I fixed that when I brought it home.

 

Go with ruffstuff specialties shackle flip.

No reason you can't use springs from another make and model as long as you keep the axle centered in the wheel well and the shackle angle is at roughly a 20* angle under full weight of the truck. This will most likely require you to move the front mount.

 

I dont have the ability to leave the truck out of service for the few weeks it would take to get the ruff stuffs.

The questions get dumber. Which direction do I want the shackle angled? The top is the fixed point so do I want the bottom spring end forward or rearward of the top mount? I'm guessing rearward but some of the photos I'm seeing of completed setups say I'm a fool for thinking that.

 

It doesn't take weeks to get them. Who told you that?


Looking at it from the driver side your shackle should look like this \

 

Their website says 2 days to build then shipping from CA to NY. That coupled with the higher price (I know they come with shackles), having to remove the gas tank for install, and the fact that they are complete overkill for anything I will be doing with my truck, I just want to stick with something bolt on if they will work with what I have.

As for angle, thanks. Thats how I thought it should look.

 

You are looking at a week tops for shipping and I guarantee you will have to drill new holes and move your front and rear hangers from the stock location if you intend to have a functioning rear suspension.

PBB10 code get you 10% off for pirate members also.

 

Everything I have read agrees what with you say. To get it to work right you will need to move this or that with the original spring. I'm not using the original spring which is why I came here with questions.

The more research I do I realize that the additional 2" of leaf spring will help get the correct angle with the brackets in the stock spot.

My concerns are now with pinion angle but that shouldn't be too tough to adjust. I think I just may give it a go and see how it works out.

Thanks again

 

Its a better product for similar price. Common sense would say its a no brainer.


+1 vote for your shackle being damn near horizontal if you bolt up a longer spring in the stock location. I would also bet your pinion angle will be in the dirt.

 

I don't disagree. They are stout and if I was building a trail rig they would be on there for sure, but this truck is mild. The only reason its lifted is because I got it that way. It's too big for northeast trails anyway. I just want to get it back together so I can go back to working on my Bronco.

Im concerned that I'm missing something simple here.

If I move the front spring perch rear ward 2" would it alleviate the shackle angle issue?

 

I'm sure you can figure it out.

 

Just do the shackle flip, mock everything up and set it back down on it's own weight.
Then see what the shackle angle looks like and make adjustments accordingly.
If after you do it and the drivers side shackle looks like / then yes, you will have to move the front hanger backward to correct the angle and center the axle in the wheel well. If the bottom of the shackle to too far toward the rear, like Kris said "damn near horizontal" then you will still have to move the hanger. So either way if the shackle angle isn't roughly 20* (like Kris said again) when you first mock it up and it's under it's own weight then you will still have to drill holes.

 

What they said. Bolt it all up and see where it is. Make adjustments from there.

 

Thanks. We'll see how it goes. Parts are on the way.