Longer Shackles for EB

[Baja535]

So I've got the 68 Bronco together and went out to Ocotillo yesterday for a little test. The front suspension worked great and only took a little compression and rebound adjustment to make it nice. THe problem is with the rear...can you say Bucking Bronco. I have the Deaver F-150 springs and the shocks can't handle the rebound with the current valving. I have shims coming to try my skills at re-valving.

Another issue, and the one I started this thread for is the insane oversteer that I was having. My buddy is a serious Bronco guy and he told me that the front hangers should have been placed lower to reduce the oversteer, but now that it's all together I don't want to mess with all that. I have space for some longer shackles (with a little bed trimming maybe) so I want to try some out and see if the springs free up a little and if the oversteer problem can be minimized.

You fellas got a line on some good 7" F-150 style shackles??

[straightaxle]

The leaf springs will free up a little with time but are these F150 springs a good match for your application? Is the rear of your EB about equal in weight as an F150? If they are stiffer than they need to be, it will make it oversteer. Lighten up the rear springs (and sway bar if you have one) and the oversteer will be reduced, ask a circle track racer. The bracket location will change the anti-squat and anti-dive tendancies, but I am not sure about oversteer. However if the shackles are binding up, that will give you the equivalent of stiff springs as well.

[Baja535]

I worked with Deaver on the set up. They were the ones recommended by Chuck at BC and I'm thinking the rates are close. I explained the exact setup for weight and they gave me what I got. I was getting good shock travel, but no control over it. On the front, I have the same valving, but the coil overs are valved in addition to the triple bypass shocks. I'm thinking that valving will help, but I'll also look at removing a leaf if it's not working well enough.

The shackles are hitting the edges of the hangers when they travel toward the rear, so I need to do something about that anyway. I just figured I would kill a couple of birds...maybe.

Thanks for the response.

[AngerIssues]

I worked with Deaver on the set up. They were the ones recommended by Chuck at BC and I'm thinking the rates are close. I explained the exact setup for weight and they gave me what I got. I was getting good shock travel, but no control over it. On the front, I have the same valving, but the coil overs are valved in addition to the triple bypass shocks. I'm thinking that valving will help, but I'll also look at removing a leaf if it's not working well enough.

The shackles are hitting the edges of the hangers when they travel toward the rear, so I need to do something about that anyway. I just figured I would kill a couple of birds...maybe.

Thanks for the response.


I assume you have fully played with the compression and rebound adjustments? They can make all the world of difference. Our first Class 3 race (after changing from Stone Stock Full) we could NOT control the truck. A few passes from San Felipe to zoo road and many adjustments in the stickers, and we could finally get ahold of it.

At the end of the day... there is only so much you can do with the short WB! The arss is gunna come up in the whoops!

[Baja535]

I assume you have fully played with the compression and rebound adjustments? They can make all the world of difference. Our first Class 3 race (after changing from Stone Stock Full) we could NOT control the truck. A few passes from San Felipe to zoo road and many adjustments in the stickers, and we could finally get ahold of it.

At the end of the day... there is only so much you can do with the short WB! The arss is gunna come up in the whoops!



Yeah, I had the rebound all the way in and when that didn't do anything I tightened the compression. I got better results, but nowhere near how I know it can work. Upon further inspection I found that the springs were hitting the shaclkles under compression. I didn't realize they were installed backwards. Whoops. Fortunately I wasn't the guy who put them on. I may not have done it right anyway.

I want to try lowering the rear to help the oversteer, so new 2" longer shackles are coming on Monday. I revalved the shocks last night and I'm crossing my fingers that it will be close.

By the way, I have FOA 2.5 x 14's and I heard they are hard to work on. This was my first attempt at this and the whole thing for 2 shocks took about 1 1/2 hours. They came apart and went together easily. The only thing I noticed was that one of the teflon rings had some grooves in it from the damping tube inlet not being deburred. Not sure if it was a missed step or if they don't deburr them but I'll mention it to them so they know.
Anyway, thanks for the comments. I'll post results soon.

I put some photos of it in the Album section on here. It's getting there.