how many have done this on there YJ? Shackle question

[sctur601]

Hi all the last time I took the jeep out we went and did martinez. I bent both front leaf springs at the rear spring mount. Basically I bent them 90 deg. Both front shackles were laid back against the frame. Since the shock mounts are so low on the axle I compleely bent one of the shocks, kinda looks like a banana now! The other one just got a little dinged up but its ok. So what I am thinking about doing for now is building a stop on the shackle to keep this from happening. what I am wondering is what angle should allow the shackle to reach befor it goes to far? I planned on 45 deg but figure I would ask just to be safe. I plan on changing the front suspension pretty soon, so I dont want to spend alot of $$ or time modifieng this, I just want to keep this from happening on the next couple trips out. Also I plan on moving the shock mounts to the top of the axle so I dont have to worry about bending the shocks if it does happen again
Thank
Shawn

[GRUNT]

Did you run it off a cliff? Holy cow.. I am kind of confused as to what you are asking, as well as having a bit of a time trying to figure out your damage. Can you take a pick? Does your YJ not have bump stops? I had two of my rear ones rust off(from back east)... Anyway, I bought some bolt on ones from 4wd.com. they ar ean inch longer and are not rubber but the soft poly stuff.

[Craig]

Jack it up by the frame and let the axle droop as much as it can. That will give you the max angle the shackle will need to reach without restricting travel.

[Jeepnut]

I know exactly what you did. Samething happened to me on Pritchet Canyon in Moab. Couple things you can do, I'd do both: (I did both)

1. get a stock YJ leaf pack, take it to Valley Spring and have them add a number 2 leaf, and have them do a military wrap at both ends.

2. Get a set of Currie towbar shackles, and install them backwards, the attachement point on the towbar shackle keeps it from inverting.

[sctur601]

Didnt drive off a cliff:) It happend in 2 different places. It does happen have bump stops, it happened on full dropp on some bigger rocks. I dont know if A rock pushed the shacle back or what. I dont really want to spend money on these springs or new shackles, but I think I will just weld on some brackets to my shackles and run a bolt through to stop it from going all the way back. Its getting longer springs and a shackle reversal when I get the new axles, I just need i to last another month or 2.
thanks guys
Shawn

[Oc1paddler]

Shawn,
I did the the same thing on my first jeep. Your future shackle reversal will solve the problem. I don't think that I would use a bolt as a stop. I would be more inclined to weld a triangle block to the bottom of the frame rail. It shouldn't be to hard to run a couple of beads that would hold up for a couple of months but still be small enough to easily cut off when you do your new suspension. I had considered doing the same thing on my Commando when I first got it. With the springover when you over flexed the front end the shackle would invert and pin against the frame. I would have to high lift it up and pry it down with a big bar and considerable force. Let me know if you need some help.

[jeff krause]

sometime inverting a shackle happens ....

[sctur601]

Shawn,
I did the the same thing on my first jeep. Your future shackle reversal will solve the problem. I don't think that I would use a bolt as a stop. I would be more inclined to weld a triangle block to the bottom of the frame rail. It shouldn't be to hard to run a couple of beads that would hold up for a couple of months but still be small enough to easily cut off when you do your new suspension. I had considered doing the same thing on my Commando when I first got it. With the springover when you over flexed the front end the shackle would invert and pin against the frame. I would have to high lift it up and pry it down with a big bar and considerable force. Let me know if you need some help.

Thanks, I think I will try that. My jeep is still Spring under but it does flex pretty well, considering.