Open question for everyone I just remember reading a while back that fishman had the RSK. How is towing with the RSK?
My friend said because of his he blew his driveshaft off crackin the t-case and bustin up the tranny. (his was 97 F350 with 4'' lift kit and rsk)
I'm thinkin of doing a sky rsk on top of my 6'' lift to get a few more inches but theres maybe once or twice a year I tow (nothing heavy, normal trailer with 3 quads or so). Guys wanna talk me into or out of this?
I did do a search just couldnt pin point the details

 

Aparently i have no idea wtf your talkin about... What exactly is an RSK?

 

my bad- reverse shackle kit

 

I have heard that it will effect your towing capabilites.

Im really not sure on how much, but im more worried about the trailer and the angle its goin to be at with 6" already plus another 2-4" the reversal will net you thats 8-10 of lift, i dont see them makin a drop hitch that dang long, and if they do i dont see it being the safest thing around... I think if your insist on doin that, one of the bed decks to hold quads on might be safer... Good luck gettin them up there though.

But to answer your question, i dont think it would be a good idea honestly.

 

this is ofcourse speaking from things that run through my mind. That being said i dont have real world expierence with RSK's so i cant say yes go for it or no dont. What i know is hear say.

 

I dont know much about the rsk's, thats why I'm asking. Its not something I'm dyin to do to my truck, just wouldn't mind it sittin a little taller. Lookin for any advice I can get. I was thinkin about the drop hitch myself, I already have a 10'' drop hitch with my 6'' lift and its not enough.

 

That would be the first thing i would be thinking about... I dont think i would want one any bigger than that.... If thats not enough now... Its goin to be dangerous with another 3" of lift.

 

i do have a RSK on my PSD and towing capabilities are not affected. however i believe what you are referring to is shackle flip (flipping th shackle over to gain a couple inches of free lift in the rear)

do NOT do this and expect to tow heavy loads (use your best judgement). theres no way i would tow a car trailer with a car on it running a shackle flip. the ears of the shackle will buckle and cause a possible loss of control since this will more than likely occur in a turn where the weight is shifted to one side.

i really wouldnt even recommend doing a shackle flip using beefier shackles. there are other, safer ways to gain some lift!

if all you are hauling is a mid-seized bumper pull (*scoff*) with some 4-wheelers i dont see you having any problems. although i will suggest you go to ford and buy brand new shackles from a F450, they are 1/4" thick and have new bushings so they will be much stronger than what you have. if i remember they were like $25 each... cheap when compared to a full on lift!

thats my take on it.

-cutts-

 

so fishy what would an RSK be?

 

reverse shackle kit is for 80-97 Fseries trucks with a solid axle (actually the idea came from jeepers but since this is a Ford forum we will stick to ford examples) that swaps the shackle from the front of the leaf spring to the rear. This is for the front of the truck.

see as a stock truck there is a shackle on the front of the front leaf spring. on the rear of the truck the shackle is located on the rear. this can create issues such as misalginment and even the revered Death Wobble. thats why it is imperative for these trucks to run a track bar holding the axle from shifting side to side... the shackles being on the front they naturally want to wander in their own direction.

this will explain better than me... and yes i am aware this is to a heep site but like i said previously heeps originally take the credit for the upgrade!
Pros and Cons of Shackle Reversal

-cutts-

 

Figuring out if the OP is talking about a front reverse shackle kit, ot the rear shackle flip would be best, but by changing the front shackle configuration to a rear swing shackle will not affect towing capacities. In fact it will provide a better driving truck when the loads start to get big.
As far as towing with a shackle flip out back, I have found zero negative issues with this.
Image of bringing home the donor - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Thats actually the small trailer. I pull F250's and the like on trailers all over the place (even with a spool in the back, but has a detroit now)
This was on 64" 1/2 ton springs, and a shackle flip. Truck sports 2500 springs now, 64" long. Soon to get Deaver Race Pack, and Baja bushings. (like a Johnny joint for the spring eye.
I have seen the pic floating around here, of the folded shackle, from a compression design, but feel that this "one" pic is the exception and not the rule.
Dont mean to contradict anyone here, but I have not seen any problems with a rear compression shackle, and I side load the snot out of my junk.
Here is the other pig I trailer around, and it to has a compression design, and as you can see, the side loads can be incredible, and not a single shackle failure.
Video of Gettin after it! - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

At any rate, depending on how much you tow, i would not throw out the rear shackle flip idea, and the front sjhackle reversal is a great upgrade for it as well.

 

what shackles are you running? thats very interesting you have not had any problems and you tow with that much weight. i was always scared to tow heavy like that in fear the shackles would bend. now the pic of the folded shackle is a good one but i have actually seen in person a couple sets of shackles that bent over.... and yes it was in extreme cases.

-cutts-

 

Cutts:

I am running a stock 1500 silverado shackle. Again, never a problem. They are painted with thick paint, so I can see if the paint starts to flake off from flex.
Again, no signs of problems. This set-up has almost 17K miles on it, and I have yet to see any problems. I do have a set that I made, but have not installed them yet.
Probably should have installed them when I changed the springs to 2500 units, but forgot them, and ran the originals.
Here is a pic of the set-up:
Image of Rear shackle flip using stock hangers - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

The great pumpkin (orange truck runs almost the ideantical set-up. Even during big pulls, the things have not failed.
I think someone has to extremely hard on thier truck to fold a shackle, and by that, I mean real hard.
I drive all of my trucks like I stole em, and this component has stayed together.

 

Thanks for the input guys right now im leaning towards not doing it. My friend has the same truck and he has his about the same hieght mine would be after the rsk, and he told me hes gotten a few tickets. Don't really feel like rackin up stupid tickets right now.
Plus I only tow little stuff but you never know when the big day might come.

 

dang man dont go up there and do that stuff over night