drop shackle questions

danzick

danzick

playing with fire
Feb 20, 2014
576
16
18
Livingston, MT
So I installed some drop shackles in the rig last night. Not totally happy with how it sits. Its not quite as low as I feel it should be. I do have air bags and they have 5 PSI in them so maybe thats why, but I have about 8 inches between my tires and wheel well. I'm also wondering what harm is running the shackle bolts the way I have in the picture? I'm assuming the factory installs them the other way so they cannot fall out. would they ever come loose and fall out? I cannot get them in without dropping the leafs all of the way down so I installed them backwards. I have the shackles in the hole that measures 7.5 inches CTC of the bolt holes. Factory was 4.5, so I assume that is the "3 inch drop" setting?

IMG_20151120_151613825_zpsbfdteiez.jpg

IMG_20151120_150536505_zpsxnmrzh26.jpg
 
ScreaminDuramax

ScreaminDuramax

New member
Sep 19, 2013
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Torrance
If you were to take out the air Im willing to bet you would be squashing them on the bumps. But like mentioned above, the top whole would make it lower.
 
OregonDMAX

OregonDMAX

NOT IN OREGON, NO DURAMAX
Apr 28, 2013
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No I mean in the top picture you have it opposite of how it should be if you want it lower. My bolts are in the very top hole.
 
OregonDMAX

OregonDMAX

NOT IN OREGON, NO DURAMAX
Apr 28, 2013
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Goodyear, AZ
Ah OK. For the record, depending on airbag size and mounting plate size you might just have to get outboard mounted bags.
 
danzick

danzick

playing with fire
Feb 20, 2014
576
16
18
Livingston, MT
Thats the issue. I'm already compressing the bags unloaded, so I probably shouldn't go Any lower at the moment. Is 8 inches between tire and wheel well average for 3 inch shackles?
 
2

2003Duramaxlb7

New member
May 4, 2014
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Pensacola,FL
If the Nut on the end of the bolt is loose, the nut will come off.. The bolt may not fall out, I loosened one of my bolts when i had it lowered on my LB7 and the nut fell off. But the bolt never came out.. I cut my factory bolts so I would'nt have to remove my tow package and just used different bolts... But like all others said, top hole makes it lower..
 
danzick

danzick

playing with fire
Feb 20, 2014
576
16
18
Livingston, MT
2003Duramaxlb7 said:
If the Nut on the end of the bolt is loose, the nut will come off.. The bolt may not fall out, I loosened one of my bolts when i had it lowered on my LB7 and the nut fell off. But the bolt never came out.. I cut my factory bolts so I would'nt have to remove my tow package and just used different bolts... But like all others said, top hole makes it lower..
Click to expand...

So, would it be wise to take it back apart and flip the bolt?
 
2

2003Duramaxlb7

New member
May 4, 2014
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Pensacola,FL
Chevy1925 said:
No, you will be fine
Click to expand...

Like stated nope you are good to go.. My bolts were the same way, the shackle itself was the other way around, Flat looking towards the bumper.. But I dont think that matters either. I like to put things back together like they came off,the stock ones had the flat-end out.
 
c20elephant

c20elephant

C20ELEPHANT
Apr 25, 2013
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Phoenix, Arizona
Those look like ebay Crown drop shackles, I just recently installed a pair with the flat part to the front so they would not fill with water/dirt/mud had you installed them with the flat spot to the back. I also cut the end of the bolt like you did to adjust if the first hole was not enough.

I installed mine in the first hole to see where I was going to be as I was unsure how low they would actually lower the truck and have no airbags. I lowered the truck enough in the back for me

You have a twin truck brother...
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No shackles in this picture.
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2heep1u.jpg

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danzick

danzick

playing with fire
Feb 20, 2014
576
16
18
Livingston, MT
Chevy1925 said:
No, you will be fine
Click to expand...

great, thanks. I will keep an eye on them.
c20elephant said:
Those look like ebay Crown drop shackles, I just recently installed a pair with the flat part to the front so they would not fill with water/dirt/mud had you installed them with the flat spot to the back. I also cut the end of the bolt like you did to adjust if the first hole was not enough.

I installed mine in the first hole to see where I was going to be as I was unsure how low they would actually lower the truck and have no airbags. I lowered the truck enough in the back for me

You have a twin truck brother...
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No shackles in this picture.
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Click to expand...

look at that. is yours also the "cashmere" or sandstone? yes they are ebay shackles. they are actually surprising quality. good welds. so is yours set on the 2 inch drop setting? I'm still wondering how that works. do they go off 3 inch drop being how much the truck drops? or how much longer the shackle is?
 
c20elephant

c20elephant

C20ELEPHANT
Apr 25, 2013
2,065
0
0
Phoenix, Arizona
danzick said:
great, thanks. I will keep an eye on them.


look at that. is yours also the "cashmere" or sandstone? yes they are ebay shackles. they are actually surprising quality. good welds. so is yours set on the 2 inch drop setting? I'm still wondering how that works. do they go off 3 inch drop being how much the truck drops? or how much longer the shackle is?
Click to expand...

Don't recall the color code or name...

I installed mine in the first hole, that don't sound right but oh well. I never measured before I installed mine and it sits where I need it and have yet to trim the bump stops...
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IMG_20151120_151613825_zpsbfdteiez.jpg

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And a modification to the modification, going to drill and tap the leaf springs when I replace the bushings....
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w6qnnr.jpg

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