Still considering longer front shackles on my SIII 109"

[bullstanky]

After much consideration, it seems like there's a right way, a wrong way, and then there's the way I'm going to do it.

Swapping out the four leaf springs for a 3 leaf pair seems like the right way. But would cost the most and leave me with an unneeded pair of springs to sell.

Cutting a leaf out of my four leaf springs (seeing as how I know nothing about how this is done or how it would affect the spring) seems like the wrong way, because I might spend a bunch of time just to ruin my springs, leaving me with one pair that is shot and needing to buy replacement 3 leaf springs.

Which brings be back to my initial plan of adding military shackles to the rear of the front spring and custom shackles to the front of the spring. All I have to buy is 4 military shackle plates (I have 2 sets of civilian plates I can customize and repurpose for the front of the springs) and hook it up. If/when either the front or rear springs end up sagging and I have to replace them, I can get the correct springs then and just remove my front shackle job.

It just seems like the shackle work is cheap, easy and reversible, and if it doesn't work it leaves me buying the new springs I probably needed all along anyway, and if it does work then I'm good to go until it's time for new springs.

[o2batsea]

Shackles are nothing more than 1/4 plate with a threaded hole on one side. The longer ones I used to have had a bar welded in the middle to keep them in plane. You can have them made locally.

[I Leak Oil]

After much consideration, it seems like there's a right way, a wrong way, and then there's the way I'm going to do it.

I was wondering how long this would go on. If I had to do work on the front of the frame anyway I'd do the same thing and you didn't say you were unhappy with the way the 4 leafers work or ride.

When reworking the front spring mounts I'd just suggest to keep the regular spring positon in addition to the new location in case you ever do go back to regular shackles. Only other things you might consider would be to extend your bump stops, brake lines and notch the engine cross member for the drive shaft.

[jac04]

Which brings be back to my initial plan of adding military shackles to the rear of the front spring and custom shackles to the front of the spring.

You want to have a shackle located at both the front and back of the front springs? If so, that won't work. You need a fixed mounting point at the front of the spring. Maybe I'm not understanding exactly what it is you want to do at the front of the springs.

[I Leak Oil]

Based on the original post I think it's just a misuse of nomeclature vs. his actual understanding of what he wants to do at the front of the spring.

[Stolidog]

If your redoing the front horns and are thinking about playing around with your hangers put on a pair of jeep yj springs. There not as long as the rear springs that some people put up front that seem to stick way out in font of the bumper but land just under. They still are about 10" longer than the stock rover springs and give you a great ride. I put in old man EMU 2 1/2 lift springs and gave me about that much lift on my front end. Made my
Spring hanger so I could still unbolt my bumper. Have lots of pictures if your interested. Also in my series 3 run a 200tdi, Ike front bumper with winch and sliders so my front end is heavy
Also I run parabolics in the rear

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[bullstanky]

You want to have a shackle located at both the front and back of the front springs? If so, that won't work. You need a fixed mounting point at the front of the spring. Maybe I'm not understanding exactly what it is you want to do at the front of the springs.

Oh yes, I'm adding a shackle at the front end of the front spring. The plates on both sides of the new shackles on the front end of the front spring will be welded to the old spring mounts on the horn, creating the fixed mounting point needed. Repurposing and welding up shackles seems easier than fabricating a part to drop the front spring mounts to keep everything in alignment.

[JimCT]

not sure the shackles will be strong enough without somehow boxing them in. Lot of side load in turns and side hills

Oh yes, I'm adding a shackle at the front end of the front spring. The plates on both sides of the new shackles on the front end of the front spring will be welded to the old spring mounts on the horn, creating the fixed mounting point needed. Repurposing and welding up shackles seems easier than fabricating a part to drop the front spring mounts to keep everything in alignment.

[bullstanky]

not sure the shackles will be strong enough without somehow boxing them in. Lot of side load in turns and side hills

You make a good point. I'll likely have to box the shackles in and triangulate from the side of each shackle plate back to the horn. All the same, I think it's going to work out better working from shackles as a starting point rather than grindind the spring mounts off and fabricating something new, because the shackle set up will allow me to get everything in alignment before I weld it up.

And if I decide to take them off one day I can more or less just grind off the welds and take the shackles off.

[jac04]

Make sure to post pictures of this modification when complete.