Wtf...Go to replace shackles with a drop shackle and they look the same?

Bowhuntr11

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Am I wrong or do these not look the same? :??:

getattachmentaspxkr6.jpg


shackleye0.jpg


Well I guess when I bought them they already had a drop shackle in? I bought the Ground Forces kit, and I replaced the front springs and they look good...but the back is still too high....I would take a pic but its dark outside and I don't have a camera with a flash. So maybe tomorrow.

But I guess I should just take out a leaf spring...
 

f150freak

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Yeah, your truck already had drop shackles on it. The OEM shackles are noticeably shorter.
 

mcarbine

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Do you know where the how-to is?

I just did mine last month and took tons of pics and have been meaning to write a how-to. Not sure when your going to be doing it but I am planning on writing the how-to this weekend. If you go ahead and do it before PM me with any questions and I more then likely have a pic to explain an answer. :thumbsup: Matt
 

Bowhuntr11

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I just did mine last month and took tons of pics and have been meaning to write a how-to. Not sure when your going to be doing it but I am planning on writing the how-to this weekend. If you go ahead and do it before PM me with any questions and I more then likely have a pic to explain an answer. :thumbsup: Matt

I am planning to do it Monday...please let me know as we are going to do trial and error if we don't find a how-to lol
 

mcarbine

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I am planning to do it Monday...please let me know as we are going to do trial and error if we don't find a how-to lol

I will do my best to get the write up done this weekend. I am on vacation next week so if you run into a snag feel free to hit me up. If you want I can PM you my cell or I will prob be on here atleast a few times a day since I will be doing house projects all week. The only part that I had a snag on was I had to buy a new bolt/nut setup that holds the leaf pack together since the bolt that is in it does not have threads all the way down and when I removed the two leafs there was no way it was gonna work. I am about 99% sure I went with a 7/16" x 2" long grade 8 bolt and nut setup and it worked perfect and fit down in the recess on top of the axle. You will also need some PB Blaster (or any kind of penetrating oil) and an impact to break that bolt loose on the leaf pack, its a bitch.
 

87vertgt

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I am planning to do it Monday...please let me know as we are going to do trial and error if we don't find a how-to lol


Courtesy of Miguel

1. if you have your truck up in the lift put like those exhaust jacks that are long, so they would hold the rear axle.
2. unbolt the leaf from the schackle, unbolt the u-bolts, then the bolt from the hanger. take the leafs out (they are heavy)
3. bend the clamps that hold the two bottom leafs.
4. hold the head of the bolt with the vise grip pliers that bolt holds the leaf pack together, have it very tight.
5 spray some w40 on that rusted nut then just hold the pliers from turning and unbolt the little nut.
6. take the leaf out.
7. thats it and put everything back together and do the other side.


but decreases your load capacity, to some of us that is still an important factor ;-)


load capacity ? are we talking towing? or weight inside the bed?
 

SVTL Joe Joe

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on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it to get that leaf out? i always assumed that pressure of them must be held together with something hercules like and figured its a huge PIA
 

Harley#356

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don't get caught up either if you're looking for another shackle and order a different brand and its the same length again lol. The ONLY other shackles that will lower it more is the JLP 2-3-4" shackles which will get you 3" of drop. All other shackles for these are only 2" shackles which really just get 1.5-1.75" of drop.
 

latemodelracer2

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i did the leaf on my 01. I would recomend just removing the lowest leaf on a 99-02 truck for anyone reading. i tried the next to bottom and it was way to mushy one good dig on the throttle and it slammed the rear on the bumps
 

mcarbine

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on a scale of 1-10 how hard is it to get that leaf out? i always assumed that pressure of them must be held together with something hercules like and figured its a huge PIA

I would give it a 3 maybe 4. If you have can do basic wrenching it should not be too bad. I held my leafs together with C clamps except the two I was removing just for safe measure but there are clamps holding them on. Like stated just bend or cut the clamps holding the bottom two leafs on then when you remove the bolt you can take one or two leafs out and you still have two clamps holding the rest of the pack together. It really isnt that hard. I can tell you though I was surprised how heavy the leafs were.
 

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