Front Driveshaft Binding

[IHCScout78]

Looking at the 5 inch front shackles and the recommended 4* caster shims.

Can this setup be used with stock front drive-shaft and 2" Skyjacker springs?

Current suspension set-up: 2" Skyjacker both ends; stock shackles front, 5 inch rear. Caster is -3, frame angle is 1*. 32-1150r15 mtr tires. No current issue with drive-shaft.

I jacked her up and looked at the front drive-shaft yokes with the suspension hanging. There is very little clearance at the t case yoke now.

I hoped to use the 5" front shackle to level the frame and the 6* caster shim to get to 0 or possibly +1* caster, but now I suspect this will be trouble. I'd appreciate input from any one who has tried something similar.

Btw the little extra height in the rear + 2" body lift and raised bumper has really minimized the tail dragging off road, but I was surprised how often the rear 5 inch shackles hit rocks. The shackles hang below a line from the bumper to the tire contact patch, leaving them pretty exposed.

 

[Scooter]

I had something similar with binding at t.c. For front drive shaft - when I did a SOA conversion.

You might want to give Tom woods custom drive shafts a call. They have an off set u-joint that worked for my 74 Scout II. But with the total lift you're looking at, I'm not sure if it would help much.

 

[Chris Pucci]

With that much combined lift you should probably consider a cut&turn on the front axle to fix the caster and the driveline angle.

I know on one of my old setups, at high speed when you would go over a whoop you could hear the driveshaft bind and 'self clearance' itself. At lower speed you would hear it bind and then 'pop' free.

There are lots of band-aid fixes to your problem, but only one real fix.


As for shackle bragging - be sure you have good quality shackle bolts and sturdy shackles if you are going to make them longer - I've bent a set of shackles from bashing them into things and I'd bet crappy or rusty shackle bolts would have broken. Be safe!