Shackles for rear leveling lift

I'm looking to do just a 1" leveling with Shackles in the rear of my Tacoma. Anyone done this? Is it a good way to get the inch at a fairly inexpensive price?

 

If you have the stock leaf springs, which are already notoriously weak, the shackles will wear them out even faster, from what I hear. I have never tried them, myself.

All the "cheap" options (blocks or shackles) are not "good" long-term options, unfortunately.

You could get an add-a-leaf, but again, if your stock leafs are already worn (sagging, or frowning), the AAL won't help. Even if your leafs are OK now, the AAL will make for a stiffer ride.

But wait a second, why are you lifting the rear to level your truck? Did you lift the front? Whatcha doin?

 

mine has 1.5" shackles and leveled mine out after i did the front, but my leafs are already frowning so im saving for new ones. but i like it!

 

I do agree with scocar on going long tern instead of short but if you can afford a new set of leafs get them for a long term. idk about shackles wearing them out faster though? doesnt really make sense to me.

 

I did leveling blocks in the front cause my truck was stink-bugging. It didn't really "level" my truck. Now the front is about 1.5" higher. I'm just trying to get it level. Is replacing all the leafs the answer? MAybe my leafs are already sagging and thats why it didn't level my truck.

 

Blocks (spacers) in the front? Is that making the ride stiffer/harsh?

OK, time to start talking budget, use, etc. I can't tell if your truck is 2wd, Prerunnner 2WD, or 4x4. Let's settle that, first.

Next, how many miles? Ever replaced shocks?

Next, if you want to do it right and keep it close to stock, using Bilstein 5100s in the front to level with the orginal coils and replacing the rear leafs with aftermarket stock height leafs may be the right way for you.

If you want to invest in a quality ride with a small lift front and rear that levels it, and you do some offroad stuff, I would suggest something like an OME lift (new coils and leafs, plus shocks to match).

 

I put on Toytec 1" lift shackles because even after I put the Wheeler's 3-leaf AAL the rear was too low. After I put the shackles on it leveled it for a few months, but now thw rear is about 1 inch lower than the front, which has SAW 2.0 coilovers at about 3". If I had to do it all over again I would just have bought new leaf packs and not waste time and money with AAL and shackles. My .02

 

Hmmm. I don't know from personal experience, but if you add a longer shackle, doesn't this allow it to rotate out and away from the axle more, giving the leaf extra room to flatten out? Just curious. I haven't thought too much about it, but other folks said shackles tend to have a bad effect on the leafs, and now I can't recall the details.

 

What's the length of the stock shackles ctc?

 

Well, yeah, so that is pretty much my point. A longer-than-stock shackle would allow the spring to flatten out more than its original design intended. It seems that over time (god knows how much, but given the shitty quality of the stock leafs...), this could more quickly deform the leaf spring.

On my truck, the stock shackles are 3.5 in. pin-to-pin center.

 

Never measured mine, but the 1" shackle lift I've got in the rear is from toytec and the shackled looked to be the correct 2" longer.

On my 98 the bushings where pretty much fused and I had to use a torch to get them out. I disassembled my leaf pack later to add a helper spring and that was actually easier then replacing the shackle.

 

On my truck, the stock shackles are 3.5 in. pin-to-pin center.[/quote]


Thx scocar When I bought my Taco it was already lifted...That's why I was asking about the stock length I'll measure my and compare when my vehcile gets back from the dealership...

 

Thx scocar When I bought my Taco it was already lifted...That's why I was asking about the stock length I'll measure my and compare when my vehcile gets back from the dealership...[/quote]

I figured that was why you were asking...if it was just because you were too lazy to go grab a tape measure, I was going to interwebz karate-kick you...

 

i have a 2.5 inch spacers and 1 inch shackles and havnt noticed anything wrong with them mind you i broke a leafspring with stock shackles so who knows the rear leafs are kinda crappy when they are stock eventually im getting coils for the front & 1inch+ leafs and putting the stock shackles back in

 

You actually broke a leaf spring. That isn't an easy thing to do. Do tell?