2005 - 2023 Archive Garage Premium Shackle Flip Lift Kit

Great info Nathan! When I do mine I'll probably end up drilling new holes to move the bracket forward if necessary. I've read a bunch of stuff that states the shackle should be vertical at full droop and somewhere around 45 degrees at normal ride height. I'm guessing the angle at ride height will just be determined by whatever bracket placement allows for vertical at droop. What I mean is the normal shackle angle is not as critical as having the shackle vertical at droop.

If you don't mind, can you go into a bit more detail on how you get in the ballpark for your bracket placement? I want mine to be bolted for now because I may change leaf springs in the future and thus need to move the brackets.

 

Thank you @SMKYTXN for posting a detailed explanation with pics and specs. Very nice truck and build. It appears you're build leans toward rock crawling and serious trail usage.
Like @Adventurous stated, some personal preference comes in to play. Basically we are stuck with a limited angle range for the shackles. I lean towards "overland" and prerunner usage in my design, but my design can be used as a starting point for most builds. Overland requires load capacity, in which case I would shy away from and not offer to others the extreme angle of your setup at rest. Thank you

 

Depends a little on your use and goals. I like Deaver #U402 Expos and OME offerings.

If you are staying spring over, you want to gain some arch IMO

 

Are those 63" leafs? You have some awesome articulation, but your up travel looks limited in the rear based on the size of your shock and shackle position. Looks like 4-6" of up travel?

 

I thought optimum shackle angle was arrount 15° to 20° at ride height

Nathans truck looks like the shackles at full bump would be horizontal and ive had shackles on my trailer get stuck from that

 

Well I rarely have anything heavy in my bed, and I only want around 1-2 of lift from the leafs, and then the lift from the shackle. It would be for "expo" purposes haha. Just exploring and climbing shit.

 

That is something to consider, Maybe I gotta do more reading.

 

You can see full bump in the first picture I posted.

 

The leafs are 5" lift skyjacker Chevy 63's. I have four up and 12 down. I don't jump the truck so no need for crazy up travel numbers. The goal is to keep the tires on the ground.

 

I'm leaning towards the 63" swap. My only concern was the up travel. I don't jump, but I would like a bit more up travel for not so flat roads with logs and ruts. Not here in SD, but for down the road when I go back to Oregon

 

With shackle angle at 45°, the shackle is putting approximately the same force backwards on the spring as it is downward. With Nathan's angle of 55° from vertical, that's more force backwards than downward.

Take an empty Doublecab with an estimated 1800lbs supported by/above the spring mounts. 1800lbs/4 = 450lbs each spring mount must support.
That means with shackle angle at 45°, the spring eye is supporting 450lbs while a rearward force of approximately 450lbs is also being exerted on the spring stretching it out. The rearward force is not there with stock hanger and a vertical tension shackle, the spring only has to deal with 450lbs.

My recommended shackle range is between 30° and 10° from vertical. If you plug 30° into above example, the rearward stretching force drops to 260lbs. You don't need to be scared of going past vertical shackle angle with droop, you just try to limit it and keep a sufficient amount away from locking to shackle.
I am happy to give my recommendation. You're welcome to do what you prefer, but there are different solutions for different uses.

 

I'm thinking about a shackle flip kit, but this is my daily driver. I haul about 7-800 lbs in my tool box, always, and go wheeling with that weight in there. So I have a bit of a issue when it comes to adding off road accessories, especially when it comes to springs. Running stock springs with Wheelers 3 leaf aal, yeah, I know I need new springs, but adding this flip might just get me where I need to be, for now. The added ride hight will help the B110's I have on the back, also have extended brake lines on site when the time comes. Thoughts on if, and how well this will work, or not, with the crappy stock springs with band-aids on them? Or will I just bend them backwards? Road manners affected by adding this, other than the added height?

 

This will give you some lift and should soften out the ride a bit. The greasable poly bushings and a little shackle angle should do that. Like DCLBFTW said a few comments prior, the stock springs aren't flexible. They are flatter and thicker leaves I think. I think the OME Dakar springs would be a good choice for that weight constantly in the bed.

 

Might have to buy, install on stocks, save for aftermarket springs. Thanks for the reply.

 

I put this kit on my daily and carry 400+ lbs at all times. So far it had been so nice. I am running AP Expo leafs but my ride quality increased 10 fold with this kit

 

For the comments on the last 2 pages about shackle angle at rest, I'm running AllPro expo leafs and my resting angle is like this...

 

Although my leafs look crazy flat on that picture... I need to check that in the day because I don't remember them being that flat 2 weeks ago when I installed them lol

 

sub'd

 

Thank you for this pic.

 

How much lift did you get with the combined Archive shackle and expo's? i'm considering the same but don't want to get too high. btw, had my expos on a month and i'm convinced they've flattened a bit as well