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The $600 1988 Ranger project. A semi-serious race truck build.
- Thread starter BBR
- Start date
Shackles finally arrived! When the springs are loaded, they are almost flat. That puts the shackle at a backward angle up closer to the frame. I believe this will work in my favor to allow plenty of rear extension.
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2012
- Messages
- 5,363
- Points
- 1,601
- Age
- 36
- City
- Lafayette
- State - Country
- TN - USA
- Other
- 1978 Honda XL350 12v & Electronic Ignition Swapped
- Vehicle Year
- 1988
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Drive
- 4WD
- Engine
- 4.0 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 4"
- Tire Size
- 245-70-R16
Isn't straight up frowned upon because of the potential to invert if you ever catch air? (Not likely on this build but...)
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2009
- Messages
- 15,484
- Points
- 3,101
- Vehicle Year
- '06, '11
- Engine
- 3.0 V6
- Transmission
- Automatic
I've never heard that. I dont think it would happen because the shackle is not loose on the bolts. IMO; The rubber inside acts like a torsion bar and makes the shackle want to move back into original position when unloaded.
It is for some applications where the spring is going to be completely unloaded. Like off roading or a leaf springed gasser front end.
This truck will never see that sort of a situation and will be droop limited by the shocks anyway. So I don't think it will be a problem.
Good point though.
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2009
- Messages
- 15,484
- Points
- 3,101
- Vehicle Year
- '06, '11
- Engine
- 3.0 V6
- Transmission
- Automatic
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2001
- Messages
- 10,013
- Points
- 5,101
- City
- Dayton
- State - Country
- OR - USA
- Vehicle Year
- 1990, 1997
- Drive
- 4WD
- Engine
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 6
- Tire Size
- 35"
It would greatly depend on spring arc and shackle length, those springs are flat enough and the shackles long enough I wouldn't see that being an issue, every example listed above is likely to have loopy springs that the rear eye is going to have quite the arc, in this case even with the weight of the axle and tires on the springs the chances of the shackles to angle forward is near negligible, if it happens I doubt BBR will be upset, more impressed with whatever shenanigans happened 
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2009
- Messages
- 15,484
- Points
- 3,101
- Vehicle Year
- '06, '11
- Engine
- 3.0 V6
- Transmission
- Automatic
If I was to build another race truck ( or car ), I would get rid of shackles and build in sliders.
Probably not a good idea if you want lots of articulation tho.
Probably not a good idea if you want lots of articulation tho.
I looked hard at doing sliders but I don't feel like I know know enough about them to install them correctly. There's all kinds available these days flat, angled, whatever.
I only know if one guy who installed sliders and afterwards he wished he had just left it alone because they were not right and the car wouldn't hook for nothing.
I only know if one guy who installed sliders and afterwards he wished he had just left it alone because they were not right and the car wouldn't hook for nothing.
Started on the 9" yesterday. Got the tubes cleaned up and the cuts marked. In the past I used my big pipe cutter to cut the tubes. I'm doing the same on this one, but it has taken considerably more effort. I think I may be cutting where shock mounts or old spring perches were welded on.
Ah crap. Got one side cut off and started on the other. Then I looked at my housing ends and realized they do not fit like I was thinking.
I thought the step on them slipped into the housing tube. Nope. It is designed to butt weld to the tube. This means my first cut was too long. So I ended up just chopping the ends with the chop saw.
I am going to try to design something (3d printed maybe?) to index the ends on the housing tube somewhat accurately.
The 9" looks really big in there.
I thought the step on them slipped into the housing tube. Nope. It is designed to butt weld to the tube. This means my first cut was too long. So I ended up just chopping the ends with the chop saw.
I am going to try to design something (3d printed maybe?) to index the ends on the housing tube somewhat accurately.
The 9" looks really big in there.
- Joined
- Feb 15, 2020
- Messages
- 6,896
- Points
- 601
- City
- Southern maine
- State - Country
- ME - USA
- Other
- 2023 2 door Big Bend, 2" lift, 35s.
- Vehicle Year
- 1996
- Vehicle
- Ford Ranger
- Drive
- 2WD
- Engine
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Drop
- Shackle flip
- Tire Size
- 235/60/15
- My credo
- Its probably better to be self deprecating than self defecating.
This is awesome.
Thanks! and sub'd to your fledgling Youtube channel!
*************
Now, if I was doing this for a living, I'd spring for a narrowing kit, but dang they are proud of those kits!
I do have a bar that is sufficiently straight that I can use, so I think I might try to make pucks on the 3d printer that fit the bar, the center and the housing ends.
I figure they will be fine for single use.
*************
Now, if I was doing this for a living, I'd spring for a narrowing kit, but dang they are proud of those kits!
I do have a bar that is sufficiently straight that I can use, so I think I might try to make pucks on the 3d printer that fit the bar, the center and the housing ends.
I figure they will be fine for single use.
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