The Getaway...Crom's build and adventures

Yeah sorry about the carnage. Glad you got helped out I understand @Spencer was the architect of the TRD Driftwood sled. to him.

The cost was $250 if you bring your spindles to them. Talk to James. He quoted me 24 hour turn around, and he delivered on his promise.

Looking forward to Greg 2.0

 

I did not actually know the answer until today. They are in fact identical. If you look at the shackle, there are numbers engraved into the shackle, the numbers vary from year to year, but they are all meaningless as far as I can. They appear to be internal manufacturing codes and can be disregarded.

 

And Done.

 

Shiney

 

Cool. So you didn't buy the spindles actually from them? I'm presuming you mean bring my factory spindles to him? Ill give him a call. Looks like ill have to source some factory spindles in any case. If not this route ill go with the tc gussets but the ones that can be used with the sway bar. I guess those versions are more beefy then the tc gussets I was running.

 

That's what I suspected. At one point I have some hazy recollection of seeing and R stamped into a shackle, but that may have been in a dream. I miss my 1st gen.

Nice. So this is what I am thinking of doing, because I need to do max prep work in advance of installing the entire suspension front and back on my DD. It needs to be a purely R&R affair with tight time constraints and no dicking around.

I'll just buy a set of new OEM shackles, because it won't get any easier that that do R&R the bushings, and do the zerks too, and they will be ready to swap in. Then I will have a set of virtually new OEM shackles off my truck that I can resell as cores for the next guy dealing with this issue.

 

There are a couple junk yards in the IE that have second gens in their lots, probably be able to find what you need.

 

Thanks bud. Been making phone calls all day. Junk yards are certainly on the list.

 

I spoke to Adam at 4xinnovations today. Here is what I learned.

The shackle uses a custom bushing. He described as a 2" bushing with the leading edge trimmed off. I'm not sure I understood what he was saying. I was like, can't I get a 40mm bushing from energy suspension and run that, and he was like no. The 40mm size is what Toyota OEM and Dakar use.

He said he has never had a customer wear out the poly bushing, he said he sells replacements for $8 but not on the website.

The grease fitting is not pictured on their website, and he would not provide me with any additoinal photos beyond the web. He did explain that the grease fitting was on the inside of the shackle as pictured (with shackle flip), so for us with stock inverted shackles, the grease fitting *should* be where I choose to drill and tap on the outside.

The 4xinnovations are made from 1/4" thick plate, so they are much stronger than stock. For those of us running standard inverted shackles, I think stock ones are plenty strong. However, if running in shackle flip, the upgraded strength would be highly desirable!

At $94 for the set, that's a friggin deal! The Toytoa stock ones new are $75 each! Modifing OEM ones only costs time and it's a f***ing pain in the ass.

@scocar Buy these and give them a whirl http://www.4xinnovations.com/05-15-Tacoma-HD-Replacement-Shackle_p_148.html

What do you tink? Should I be weird and shoot it with clear coat and run it shiny? Would clear coat even hold up?

Thanks man! I keep joking about being almost done with the build... I guess I'm almost done with the rear end.

Right, I took mine off the truck and brought them in. You need cores.

You're right about the "R" stamp. that's what threw me off. Had to go inspectigate.

I think you definetely have the right idea bout having ready to go shackles. Take a look at the 4xinnovation ones above. They cost less then new OEM and are ready to ship to the parts shelf.

I searched around TW, could not find pics on the forum other than the web, but they are legit as far as I'm concerned. I would run them if I did not already do the work for the stockers.

 

Lol don't think just clear would hold up. I like the shot with your ©Crom on the shackle. Haha get some vinyl cutouts to put on stuff

 

Whoa, wait, can those 4x shackles be used without a flip kit? I.e., on the OEM hanger in the OEM configuration? Their description and photos aren't clear on this, but it looks like they might work.

EDIT: I think you have effectively stated that, now that I went back and re-read the entire post.

Oh Mr. Brownshorts, I have another delivery for you to make!

 

Yes. That's my understanding. Call them and talk to Adam, he said he designed the shackle, also the guy who answered the phone.

Thanks. I mark my photos a little bit more aggressively now since I've found them appearing on 3rd party websites, mostly under fair use. If I find them being used for commercial purposes, my attorney will make some coin.

I think I'll paint the shackles a funny color for fun!

 

Looking good Nick!

Out of curiosity, was there a specific part number you used for the ES bushings? Might end up doing all of this in one shot since I'll be pulling the leaf pack anyway. Also is there a reason you ground/removed the paint form one shackle? Sometimes when I'm tinkering, I can't help but refinish things, whether they need it or not. I have a pretty decent supply of rattle cans in varying colors/finishes and sometimes just using what I have on hand makes for interesting color combinations.

 

btw talked to king yesterday 5 turns = 1" is the rule of thumb with 650# coils. Second I am running my front at 23.75 each and rear with AAL is 25.5 ... I hear ARB is sending me the "new design" dakar pack due to mine squeaking like a banchy even with the isolators and lube etc etc

bottom line is I am running the b110 with timbrens w/1/4 shim on Ubolt flip plate... and a quick cycle of the suspension has me kissing the timbren at 19/14 collapsed... So no more AAL and I will be just installing the pack straight up in a week or two when the new dakars get here... B110 are a fantastic option in my opinion as stated by Crom but they are even better with Timbrens because they are tall and do not compress as much as wheelers or so I have experienced so far

 

Thanks.

That was the handiwork of Jeff at JTA Metalworks. @jeffz0rz

Back in October when I was having my frame plates burned on I offered him as bonus work to remove the bushing from the shackle. I had already burned out one with a torch and at that time I did not own a jigsaw, so I could not follow @Sandman614 's work to remove the pressed shell. See quote below.

I could have used a hacksaw but that would have royally sucked even more. Plus Jeff has a 20-ton press and other tools in his shop.

He was successful in removing the outer shell of the one I. Worked on and I took that one home. I left the other with him to work on. I finally picked that up today and today he did the drill and tap for me.

Jeff said that removal of the OE bushing was a gargantuan pain in the butt! lol I told him he had the dubious title of being perhaps only one of two people to have done it! lol

 

Wow. That does look like a PITA, but you know I'm a dumb ape with a lot of tools so I may attempt it still.
It'll probably wait till I have a spare set to play with so I'm not on jackstands for too long. Time to put the word out for a used set. I already have a set of lower control arms to do the poly upgrade to those. Building a new truck like good old Johnny did:

https://youtu.be/rWHniL8MyMM

 

Sorry, fell down the YouTube wormhole and now I got the Cocaine Blues with a Boy named Sue, as I try to Walk The Line to get to Jackson. Might just take the Orange Blossom Special, because I have the Folsom Prison Blues...

 

Could you please explain your thinking/reasoning here?

The shackle will see the same load independent of hanging orientation. The only difference will be the direction of load.

 

Sure. Short answer is buckling

Long answer:

I don't think it's the same, and it gets into the heart of engineering on the matter.

First this:

And this from an anonymous engineer who calls himself ass_slayer69

I've seen an empty soda can support adult human weight. Poke the side and it buckles and collapses catastrophically. Take an undamaged can and try to pull it apart, extremely difficult.

Same goes for plastic straws, metal wires etc. Very difficult to pull apart yet easy to crush.

Toyota designed the second gen shackle for tension load, not for compression. Just my opinion, but I think using suspension components improperly can have disastrous results. If I was going to shackle flip, I won't ever, but let's say I did I for the moment, I would want the absolute strongest solid one I could buy.

 

Propane torch, Dremel, and jigsaw, and you're good to go. I have no doubt. I seen your work, you could handle the shackle bushings without any real trouble. Give yourself about 30 minutes per side maybe 45. No sweat for you man!