Reverse Shackle and eventually SOA

R

Rustman

New member
I currently have an older 3-4" spring under lift on my scoutii. I been thinking of putting your rs kit on the front, and someday, (as project scouts go) I would like to replace my current lift with a SOA with stock Scout springs (I'm mainly going for more flex than for height).

My question is if I install the rs now while keeping the SUA, when I eventually go SOA, will I be handicapped because of the original placement of the shackle pivot point?

I would like to do this piecemeal if possible (to spread the cost out), but if its best to do it all at once, that is something I need to plan for.
 
Its always best and cheapest to do all at once but I understand when it can't be done. What I recommend is when setting up the reverse shackle kit have the new "used" stock springs on hand and set up the reverse shackle with those springs. Then check the setup with your 3"-4" springs(before drilling the hole in the frame). Basically, perform the mockup step twice. Its twice the work but you'll know how each setup looks and then you will know where to drill the hole in the frame for the shackle mount.

Let me know if you have any other questions.

Also, these kits are currently on sale(save $30).
 
So the axle being SUA or SOA makes little to no difference, but with all other things being equal, its the springs' dimensions that dictates the location of the shackle mount hole?
 
Okay I have another couple of questions about your rs. You mentioned somewhere that if you mount the fangs with the farthest forward part equal to the front crossmember, that this should move the axle forward 2~3", also allowing for mounting of the oem front bumper. Now I don't intend to use the stock bumper, so I can move the fangs even further forward. So with my plans of using stock height springs with my future SOA, how far forward do you usually recomend moving the fangs; any down side to this?

Also, if I drill the shackle mount in the center of the frame, how much of a lift does this usually give by itself.

And last, off the rs questions, I was also planning to put disc brakes on the back of my Scout. In a lot of your builds I see use of the TSM brakes, but I was wondering what you thought of using explorer rear brakes?
 
rustman said:
okay I have another couple of questions about your rs. You mentioned somewhere that if you mount the fangs with the farthest forward part equal to the front crossmember, that this should move the axle forward 2~3", also allowing for mounting of the oem front bumper. Now I don't intend to use the stock bumper, so I can move the fangs even further forward. So with my plans of using stock height springs with my future SOA, how far forward do you usually recomend moving the fangs; any down side to this?

Also, if I drill the shackle mount in the center of the frame, how much of a lift does this usually give by itself.

And last, off the rs questions, I was also planning to put disc brakes on the back of my Scout. In a lot of your builds I see use of the TSM brakes, but I was wondering what you thought of using explorer rear brakes?
Click to expand...

You can mount the fangs to the very front of the frame if desired. Depending on tire size you May have tire to fender clearance issues when locating the fang in this position.

Locating the shackle mount in the center of the frame offers no lift at all. I actually normally recommend locating the hole near the bottom of the frame for the most lift possible.

As for rear brakes we have used in our builds stock drum, TSM, wildwood, Ford motorsport(explorer) and other off brand kits. The TSM brakes are a direct bolt on to a stock Dana 44 Scout rear axle where as in order to use either the wilwood or exploder brakes you have to have different axle housing ends(Ford big pattern which is what Scout/IH is versus Ford torino pattern which exploder and wilwood require). So depending on the project and budget dictates which set-up we use. Another set-up that I want to try is late model dodge 1/2 ton. They have a huge rear disc rotor with internal drum style parking brake and are factory 5 on 5.5 wheel pattern. Only drawback is you have to go to bigger 17" wheels since the brake package/rotor is that much bigger.
 
Is there any advantage of moving the axle/tire as far forward as possible, beside tire placement (in both droop and compression)?
 
rustman said:
is there any advantage of moving the axle/tire as far forward as possible, beside tire placement (in both droop and compression)?
Click to expand...

The further forward you mount the axle the better the front drive line angle will be. Also helps with the larger 38"+ tires since it pulls the tire away from the rear area of the front fender well. Another benefit is better tierod to oilpan clearance. So yes there are a few benefits to moving the setup all the way forward.
 
Okay thinking out loud since you mentioned the different housing ends in order to use the explorer or wilwood brakes.

I have a rear Dana 60 which I might use. If I do use it, I plan on narrowing it, so putting on new ends is a givien and I might as well put on the torino pattern. Since going to the trouble of narrowing an axle, I might as well step up to 35 spline shafts while I'm at it. Now I know the explorer brakes say they need 2.5" brake gap between the housing flange and axle shaft flange (not sure about wilwood's).

Do you know if any axle company's support that brake offset for 1.5" 35-spline axles without going to something super custom? Also, on scouts that you have done narrowed, semi-floating Dana 60's, what type of bearing/seal setup do you use, if there are options?
 
Wilwood's are also 2.5" brake back spacing.

All the aftermarket axle company's will build you an axle with whatever brake back spacing that you need. 2.5" spacing is a very common Ford spacing. We usually have Dutchman build our shafts and always wait to order the shafts after the housing is built. When we build a Dana 60 we always go with 1.5" 35 spline shafts and use the larger set 20 bearing since the ends we use are always for the larger bearing.
 
This May be a sign of my ignorance, but I have to learn sometime. The larger set 20 bearings that you prefer is tapered, right? And does it use a separate inner seal, or is a seal integrated into the bearing. Last, do you even like using inner seals or no inner seals like some Scout rear axles, just the outer seals?
 
The set 20 bearing is nearly identical to a set 10 bearing except its larger. There is a seperate inner seal but most of the time the inner seal cannot be used since the bearing lock ring is a lot thicker on a set 20 compared to a set 10. I prefer to use the inner seal when I can.
 
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