Northern California Rigs

[DeadlyPeace]

[shadow=red,left,300]Snorkleman has spoken[/shadow](and is a good idea might I add)

Alright guys this is a call out for everyone to start posting some good trail pics. I know we have been using the regional threads to look for folks in our areas but it would be good to also post pics of your recent trail runs. I posted some pics in the southeast region and the hits have been few. We need those threads to be loaded with good pics so everyone can see what great trails and trucks are out there. I like seeing all the trails in different parts of the country. Everyone likes good pics...and thats the place for it. It doesnt have to be radical, just some good pics of your truck or your friends trucks in action.

Alright here's a few to start off with.

This is my 85 TOY with a 3" body and 2" suspension lift and rolling on 32's.


Testing the flex after doing a 4" suspension and Chevy springs in the rear.


A flex shot, but with 35's now and my front springs were too stiff.
Now have Rubicon Express springs....no flex pics yet.


Coming over the top of the mountain. Well actually hill.


All Pro Rock Guards.


OK after packing up my entertainment center for a wheeling trip
I realized that I had no place to put my sleeping bag.....



Here's my 73 TOY w/ a 73 j**p devoiced transfer case and axles on 31's.
Hopefully soon to become a Weekend Warrior.


[edit] Up dated pics to new host

[snorkleman]

What dual shackles are you running in the rear?

[DeadlyPeace]

I have the stock Chevy shackles that I got with the leaf springs from a wrecker and aftermarket shackles that are made for Toyotas from a local 4x4 shop. I have the aftermarket ones so that they are up against the frame and the Chevy's so they come down to the springs.

Here the shackles sit at rest. If you look just above the bolt that holds the two shackles together you can see a rubber stopper (also from local 4x4 shop). These work good for keeping the shackle from hitting or rubbing against the frame.


Here is a side and rear view of the shackle at work. They will unfold until they are in a straight line with each other and going forward at about 15-20 degrees. Once I actually had one of them fold back up in the wrong direction. You can also see the rubber stopper here better.



[edit] Changing pics over to new host.

[Mike Kelly]

Nice setup...

So what do you do when they fold up in the wrong direction?? How can you prevent this other than don't flex them so much?

[snorkleman]

I've seen guys weld on stops to the shackles to keep them from folding the wrong way. I guess it isn't too big a deal to pull them back out. Just highlift jack one side and pull them back. What did you do DP?

[DeadlyPeace]

Mike said:

Nice setup...

So what do you do when they fold up in the wrong direction?? How can you prevent this other than don't flex them so much?

Well trying not to flex so much is about it for now.

snorkleman said:

I've seen guys weld on stops to the shackles to keep them from folding the wrong way. I guess it isn't too big a deal to pull them back out. Just highlift jack one side and pull them back. What did you do DP?

Snorkle would you happen to have or be able to get any pics of how they did the stops? I've been looking into doing this, but don't want something that sticks out like a sore thumb.

On my I used a Hi-lift jack, but I had friend that just reflexed his rig on another rock and I pushed the shackles back as he came down SLOWLY off the rock. Forgot the Hi-lift that day.

[snorkleman]

Yeah I have a good buddy that has some. I'll try to snap some pics of his. I think he welded on some stops but Ill have to check on that. He is runnin the same setup that you have. Chevy's with dual shackles.

[snorkleman]

Alright I was wrong. he doesnt have any. I thought for sure he came up with something. But anyway I started thinking about a way to limit the travel of the double shackle. I couldn't come up with much then I thought if you had something to hold it from the rear of the truck that would keep it from over extending. Thats when I used paint to come up with this idea. Might be a bad idea but it was a thought.



Use a piece of strong chain either welded on the shackle and frame or better yet, use a mount of some sort the chain can pivot on. Would limit the travel and keep it resting in the same spot. Would probably bounce around some and cause noise, but it is just an idea.

[snorkleman]

Alright so I was thinking on the way home and it hit me. Why use chains when you can use limiting straps. The same straps you use on axles to keep articulation under control. I think they would work better.

[DeadlyPeace]

Nice art work snorkle ;D.
I like the idea with the staps. I'll toy it with a little and see if I can come up with something.

[snorkleman]

Talking to another friend last night, and he said you can weld on some tabs to the shackle to keep it from over extending. At the bottom of the top shackle weld on a tab that extends over the top of the bottom shackle. I'd have to draw something up, but I think this would also work.

[Mike Kelly]

Jay... is this what you mean...

Seems like you could weld a sort of "limiting plate" to the top of the fabbed shackle that would not allow over extending. Take a look (BTW, paint SUCKS)

[DeadlyPeace]

snorkleman said:

Talking to another friend last night, and he said you can weld on some tabs to the shackle to keep it from over extending. At the bottom of the top shackle weld on a tab that extends over the top of the bottom shackle. I'd have to draw something up, but I think this would also work.

This was actually my first thought about going about it, but if you look at the back of the Chevy shackle, it spreads out and the plate wouldn't have anything to really rest against until it went inside the shackle. This could coz it to bind up and instead of folding forward it stays straight or actually slightly forward. At some point it would fall back down, but some times those unsuspected happenings aren't good when rock crawling. Altough they can keep you on your toes or looking up at your floor board ;D. Last night when I was looking at a way of do doing the strap idea.....light bulb.....I thought about just welding a plate to the back of the Chevy shackle and closing it up. I felt kind of silly that I didn't think about it before . I'm thinking about doing both of them, one on each side, test them out to see the pro and con of them.

And Mike....your right....paint does SUCK!!! (to put it nicely) ;D

[snorkleman]

Wow now thats dedication. Mike braves paint to draw an idea I mentioned. Yep it does suck. Yeah I would like to see those different methods in action. Deadly let us know what works best. ;D

[Mike Kelly]

It was a slow day ;D

[smwheelin]

instead of using a shackle have you heard of using part of a leaf spring

it keeps enough tension to eliminate bouncing and rubbing, and there is no way that i could have anykind of problem like inverting.

[rockcrawlintoy]

yeah its called 3/4 ellipitical (sp) or a buggie leaf its works ok hella scary goin down hill. it will unload really bad. u need to run a traction bar and also limit straps from the shackle to the frame to prevent unloading.

Drew