Now i've been thinking to myself about the lift i'm doing and i got to thikning about the shackles and making longer one, specificly how long to make them.

Now we all know that a leaf spring gets longer as it compresses, and thus the reason for shackles, now what i got to thinking about is what the optimumal shackle lenght to maximize leaf spring performance?

What would need to be done is the leafs spring would have to be measured how it sits with no load, then the actual lenght of the spring be measured (eye to eye following the curve of the spring). Then subract the 2 measurements, this in turn will give the total lenght a leafspring can compress on the trail (not to difficult, but something that isn't mentioned a lot), Now this lenght is what cna be used through some math (unless someone feels like measureing how much a stock shackle will allow a leaf to move, and i can measure how far a extended shackle will allow a leaf to compress). to figure out the optimal shackle lenght.

now anyone have any insight on the method, or is willing to help take some measurements so we can have a thread to refer people to when asking about this info?

 

I know from experience that too short of a shackle is bad news when used with high-arch springs. That's not fun.

Cody

 

Yeah espically with them bana springs, when comparing eye to eye(striaght across) as compared to the actaul lenght of the leaf is nearly 1:2.

 

The shackle length depends on pinion angle & shackle angle too. The only sure way is to try the stock ones to see where your at.