Author Topic: Boomerang shackles on front of YJ  (Read 1130 times)

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Offline neale_rs

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Boomerang shackles on front of YJ
« on: June 18, 2009, 08:33:22 AM »
Is anybody here running boomerang shackles on the front of their YJ?   I was looking at the Jeep last night and it looks like the driver's side cannot invert because a shackle bolt will hit the steering box way before getting even close to inverting.  It looks like using a boomerang shackle with the short end at the frame could result in hitting the steering box more easily at full droop (so I would not use it on that side).  On the passenger side, it looks like a boomerang shackle with the short end at the frame could work but might limit the back swing too much, more than needed to prevent inversion and thereby limiting droop.  Any experience with this and specific brands of boomerang shackles?

Thanks
'95 YJ, 33 x 12.5 mud tires, RE 4.5 ED lift, Atlas 4 speed, rear D44, ARBs front and rear, 4.56 gears, 8000# winch

Offline oldjeep

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Re: Boomerang shackles on front of YJ
« Reply #1 on: June 18, 2009, 10:28:50 AM »


I've got them on the front of mine.  No clearance issues with anything.  I run mine long end on the frame so that I can clear my front bumper, but when they were short end to the frame, they stopped inversion when the shackle went back past 90 - I've got no desire to have them arc back further than that.
Chuck P
The clowns'? Oh, yeah, the clowns. We fight them too — entire armies, spilling out of Volkswagons. We do our best to fight them off, but they keep sending 'em in!
94 YJ - gone
98 ZJ - sons truck
97 TJ - daughters project

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Offline neale_rs

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Re: Boomerang shackles on front of YJ
« Reply #2 on: June 18, 2009, 10:54:04 AM »
Thanks oldjeep,

The front spring hanger, when viewed from the side, has a round part, then a small flat section (parallel to frame) and then slopes up to the frame.
When you had them short side to frame, did the cross bar hit the flat part or the sloping part?  Also, could you get me the center to center distance between the two bolts on the short end of the shackle you run?  I think the Rubicon Express boomerang shackles I was looking at are pretty short in that dimension.

Thanks

'95 YJ, 33 x 12.5 mud tires, RE 4.5 ED lift, Atlas 4 speed, rear D44, ARBs front and rear, 4.56 gears, 8000# winch

Offline neale_rs

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Re: Boomerang shackles on front of YJ
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2009, 08:57:57 AM »
Ok, I got some numbers.  The RE boomerang shackle measures only 1.75" center to center on the short end but the MORE boomerang shackle measures 2.5" on the short end.  I really doubt the RE shackle would work on the front with the short end to the frame.  I'm going to go with my existing straight shackles and a limiter on the spring hanger on the passenger side and just let the steering box limit things on the driver's side, much cheaper this way.
'95 YJ, 33 x 12.5 mud tires, RE 4.5 ED lift, Atlas 4 speed, rear D44, ARBs front and rear, 4.56 gears, 8000# winch