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General Forums => The Mess Hall => Topic started by: scarabchuck on November 28, 2007, 06:19:25 PM

Title: skid plates for YJ
Post by: scarabchuck on November 28, 2007, 06:19:25 PM
wondering if there is a skid plate to protect the front spring shackles ? They seem to hang down so low they would get damaged pretty easy.

also looking for any other skid plates, i don't want to spend a ton of money though.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on November 28, 2007, 06:41:04 PM
Not really, but one trick that works halfway decent is to drop a tube between the shackles.  It's a good way to keep you from inverting by pushing them straight into a rock.  Friend of mine did it on his CJ and it seems to work pretty well.

Gas tank skids, take your pick.  I've got a warn, because it was the cheapest at the time - but plan on spending around $200
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: neale_rs on November 29, 2007, 09:20:16 AM
one trick that works halfway decent is to drop a tube between the shackles. 

Could you describe this a bit more?  Sounds interesting but I can't quite visualize what was done. 

Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on November 29, 2007, 01:15:23 PM
one trick that works halfway decent is to drop a tube between the shackles. 

Could you describe this a bit more?  Sounds interesting but I can't quite visualize what was done. 



Take a look at this picture of my buddy jeep.  The tube is actually in front of the shackles, it acts as both a ramp to get the leafs up onto the rocks and helps  keep the shackle from getting pushed back.  It's on my list of things to do with my YJ.
http://www.mn-challenge.com/2004_photos/Day3ironrange/photos/photo13.html

Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: scarabchuck on November 29, 2007, 04:48:23 PM
i like the tube idea. I'm going to have to see if i can come up with something
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: yjmyway on November 29, 2007, 05:43:28 PM
Just get some thicker shackles. But I dont think you need to worry about breaking them.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jeffy on November 29, 2007, 05:45:57 PM
Just get some thicker shackles. But I dont think you need to worry about breaking them.

+1.  Also a good reason not to get lift shackles.  If you're that worried $190 will get you a shackle reversion kit which puts the shackles on the other end instead.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on November 29, 2007, 06:01:07 PM
Just get some thicker shackles. But I dont think you need to worry about breaking them.

It's got nothing to do with breaking them.  It's got to do with what happens to your leaf spring when you drive your shackle into a big rock. 

$190 LOL - and then add $300 for the long slip driveshaft that you need to go with it.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on November 29, 2007, 06:03:47 PM
Just get some thicker shackles. But I dont think you need to worry about breaking them.

+1.  Also a good reason not to get lift shackles.  If you're that worried $190 will get you a shackle reversion kit which puts the shackles on the other end instead.

If you take a close look at Nutters jeep, you'll see that those are about the shortest shackles that you can run.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jeffy on November 29, 2007, 06:04:58 PM
It's got nothing to do with breaking them.  It's got to do with what happens to your leaf spring when you drive your shackle into a big rock. 

$190 LOL - and then add $300 for the long slip driveshaft that you need to go with it.

$300?  You can have it done for a lot cheaper.  Not to mention the front driveshaft will be balanced for once.  Also, ride quality improves.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on November 29, 2007, 06:06:25 PM
It's got nothing to do with breaking them.  It's got to do with what happens to your leaf spring when you drive your shackle into a big rock. 

$190 LOL - and then add $300 for the long slip driveshaft that you need to go with it.

$300?  You can have it done for a lot cheaper.  Not to mention the front driveshaft will be balanced for once.  Also, ride quality improves.

For a long travel driveshaft?  Which you need with a shackle reversal if you have any flex at all.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: yjmyway on November 29, 2007, 08:02:04 PM
I didnt mean longer just thicker. Sure you can bend a spring but its most commen with a spring over. I've hit my shackles pretty good with out a problem. And I have seen bent stock shackles.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jesse-James on November 29, 2007, 08:27:29 PM
The shackle mount is much weaker than the shackle itself, it that isn't beefed up I wouldn't worry about your shackles.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: jfrabat on November 30, 2007, 08:45:49 AM
If the Jeep is a daily driver, I would not recommend a shackle reversal.  If you install it on the Jeep, and you have to make a sudden stop while driving at highway speeds, the nose of the jeep will dive in much more than with the current shackle configuration (the axle moves back as it compreses with shackle reversal).  I personally would go with the tube idea...
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jeffy on November 30, 2007, 02:30:48 PM
If the Jeep is a daily driver, I would not recommend a shackle reversal.  If you install it on the Jeep, and you have to make a sudden stop while driving at highway speeds, the nose of the jeep will dive in much more than with the current shackle configuration (the axle moves back as it compreses with shackle reversal).  I personally would go with the tube idea...

That has less to do with a shackle reversal and more to do with improper steering geometry.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on November 30, 2007, 02:52:21 PM
If the Jeep is a daily driver, I would not recommend a shackle reversal.  If you install it on the Jeep, and you have to make a sudden stop while driving at highway speeds, the nose of the jeep will dive in much more than with the current shackle configuration (the axle moves back as it compreses with shackle reversal).  I personally would go with the tube idea...


Yup, dive will increase - the extent will be defined by how soft your springs are and how long the shackles are.  However the on road ride is a lot better with reversed shackles.
Pretty decent writeup on the forces involved here:  http://www.jeeptech.com/susp/elkcahs/

That being said, there are plenty of vehicles that had the shackles on the rear of the front springs - and somehow people survived driving them ;)
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jeffy on November 30, 2007, 03:24:28 PM
Yup, dive will increase - the extent will be defined by how soft your springs are and how long the shackles are.  However the on road ride is a lot better with reversed shackles.
Pretty decent writeup on the forces involved here:  http://www.jeeptech.com/susp/elkcahs/

That being said, there are plenty of vehicles that had the shackles on the rear of the front springs - and somehow people survived driving them ;)

M38 and M38A1 being a few.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: chardrc on November 30, 2007, 05:13:25 PM
Yup, dive will increase - the extent will be defined by how soft your springs are and how long the shackles are.  However the on road ride is a lot better with reversed shackles.
Pretty decent writeup on the forces involved here:  http://www.jeeptech.com/susp/elkcahs/

That being said, there are plenty of vehicles that had the shackles on the rear of the front springs - and somehow people survived driving them ;)

M38 and M38A1 being a few.

m38 having the shekels in the rear. doesn't look that way in this pic (http://www.cj-3a.com/m38.jpg) or when i saw one for sale this summer.

but i guess you are right about the m38a1 (http://www.surplusjeep.com/images/M38A1F-B.jpg)
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jeffy on November 30, 2007, 06:33:14 PM
m38 having the shekels in the rear. doesn't look that way in this pic (http://www.cj-3a.com/m38.jpg) or when i saw one for sale this summer.

but i guess you are right about the m38a1 (http://www.surplusjeep.com/images/M38A1F-B.jpg)

Fine replace the M38 with a M-170 then.  :twofingers:   Most trucks that used leafs up front had shackles in the rear.  The only ones that insisted on having shackles up front were Jeeps and the early TLC's.  Even Land Rover who also copied the jeep design corrected the problem.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: scarabchuck on December 01, 2007, 07:51:15 AM
Well I definetly know I'm not going to do most of the stuff you guys are talking about, hell I don't know what most of the stuff you guys said is....
 I will probably have to fab something , like the bar thing.  I don't know seeing those shackles and stuff right there under the bumper really bother me... they just seem so vulnerable.
What's funny is in the Chiltons manual they actually show a skid plate that mounts under the bumper , I've done some searching though and can't find anything.
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: oldjeep on December 01, 2007, 08:02:01 AM
Well I definetly know I'm not going to do most of the stuff you guys are talking about, hell I don't know what most of the stuff you guys said is....
 I will probably have to fab something , like the bar thing.  I don't know seeing those shackles and stuff right there under the bumper really bother me... they just seem so vulnerable.
What's funny is in the Chiltons manual they actually show a skid plate that mounts under the bumper , I've done some searching though and can't find anything.

That would be interesting to see.  Can you scan it or take a picture of it and post it up? 
Title: Re: skid plates for YJ
Post by: Jeffy on December 01, 2007, 11:55:57 AM
Well I definetly know I'm not going to do most of the stuff you guys are talking about, hell I don't know what most of the stuff you guys said is....
 I will probably have to fab something , like the bar thing.  I don't know seeing those shackles and stuff right there under the bumper really bother me... they just seem so vulnerable.
What's funny is in the Chiltons manual they actually show a skid plate that mounts under the bumper , I've done some searching though and can't find anything.

That would be for the 1990-1993 Jeep Renegade.  It wasn't much though.  Honestly, the shackles are the least of your worries really.