Shackles to gain 4" and lose stock block

[Woods-Rider]

ok, so i've been running staked blocks (i know) for about 3 years now with no problems yet (thank God), but i really want to get rid of them both. new springs are a little out of my budget i think (like 300 for a pair of 6" SJ softrides right? did a search and couldnt find any for rangers, just full size) so i want to go with shackles. my question is who makes shackles long enough to lose the 4" and stock block? is there any down side to shackles this long? will i have any pinion angle problems if i do this?

 

[Sunk]

So you have 4" block on top of the stock 2" block? To sit at the same level you'll need shackles 12" over stock length, which should be 16" long. I ran 12" shackles with the stock block on my 88 for 4" of lift. It rode pretty wierd. The leafs were prettymuch flat, and I wouldn't be surprised if yours were inverse (mine were when flexed). It messed with my pinion angle, and Im on my 3rd driveshaft because the ears on the previous 2 were too hammered to remove/install a new joint, or the ears broke.

It will ride pretty soft, but will flex like freakin crazy. You could get some pinion shims to correct the angle if you wanted, I never did. I don't know of any shackles that are sold, but if you make some, make damn sure they have A LOT of bracing, the twisting force on those things is gonna be ridiculous. Also if you carry a load, the rear end is going to squat very low, further messing with your pinion angle. I did it once and toasted the rear u-joint in about 15 mi.

I now have Belltech 6400's and I weaved an extra leaf in my stock pack... It sits maybe 1/2-1" lower than I'd like in the rear, but its about level, and rides good so Im content.

I personally would go for the belltechs and maybe an add a leaf, and keep the stock block. If you want to ditch that also, I'd maybe throw the AAL in a set of Exploder springs and see where that puts ya.

 

[Todd]

Also make sure that the stock spring hanger on the rear is beefed up. With my custom shackles I twisted the hanger. Then I built some of my own hangers to hold up to the extra moment.

 

[kunar]

take out the stock block and keep the 4" block. use some belltech shackles and maybe an add a leaf.

 

[chico4554]

nice welds todd

 

[Woods-Rider]

I dont really want to add a leaf because its already kinda stiff out back when empty. i do haul loads often since i sell firewood in the summers for extra cash and carry dirt bikes around so maybe 16" shackles isnt for me. i already have the stock overload spring at the bottom of my pack. anyone know how to get a pair of leaf packs with 6" of lift for around $200 or less? it seems like this is boiling down to my only option, or a pair of 4" with some 6400 shackles.

when searching for leafs what years and makes or models will fit my '04? i just want some bolt ins, not something like the 63" chevys

 

[kunar]

the only thing that i know for sure is something for a ranger or explorer but explorer springs will be too stiff if you already have that problem. i have never seen springs for that cheap, i even went to a local custom spring shop and they told me the best they could do was take a stock set, re-arch them to add 2" and still add another leaf to keep them from loosing the arch. they said like $250-$300 and that was with brand new springs

 

[Sunk]

Well longer shackles usually cushion the ride a little bit, so you could keep the 4" block as previously mentioned then maybe use explorer springs and it wouldn't be that stiff.

 

[Snurfer]

i found a used set of explorer 4 inch lift springs from skijacker, flipped the pin and took out my 4 inch block and stock block. now its leaf to axle with 6 inches of lift overall. works great for hauling around two dirt bikes, it doesnt hardly squat.

i'd seriously look at getting new leafs.

 

[Woods-Rider]

the 4" exploder leafs were enough to take out 6" of block? Being a college student i dont have the kind of money it takes to get new leafs. kinda started searching for used ones but haven't had much luck.

 

[kunar]

the 4" exploder leafs were enough to take out 6" of block? Being a college student i dont have the kind of money it takes to get new leafs. kinda started searching for used ones but haven't had much luck.

even though the explorer springs are only 4" lift (on an ex) they will lift a ranger about another 2" on top of that. stock explorer springs will lift a ranger about 2"