shackle reversal thoughts

[Terry Rust <trust@domain.elided>]

I'll throw my $.02 into this discussion, but since my first hand experience
is all Jeep, you may want to skip over this.

As Tom mentioned, the spring eyes want to be the same verticle distance
from the ground (or some datum) when finished, while this is not 100% kill
ya if ya mess up, it ought to be as close as is easy, you can use slightly
shorter shackles to twist the front yoke up instead of shims, but beware of
going to far. Obviously the fronts need to be even with each other at both
ends too.

Your axel will now move up and back vice up and forward so the axel should
end up slightly forward in the wheel well from where it is now, I use an
inch based on discussions with other folks. This can be done several ways,
you can build towers for the front with enough rake to them to move the
springs forward or you can re-drill the main leaf center hole forward and
reassemble the pack. I've seen it done both ways and even combinations of
the two. The kits that are available for Jeeps now all use the fron tower
to re-locate the spring forward, FWIW.

Tom was, again, dead on with the need for a cross brace between the towers,
there are many ways to skin the cat on this, I've used a 2" channel steel
just above the spring, a buddy built a tube piece that the bolts thread
into that is real slick, Mark Werkmeister (4W&SUV Project Too Long) had a
piece of flat steel bent and welded in. (sorry I can't be more specific). I
would tie the towers hard together and not make them boltable, but there
could be some value in that, just be sure to monitor the bolt holes for
wallowing out over time.

Be aware that some folks attribute some frame problems to the shackle
reversal, at least on Jeeps. Werkmeister had to reinforce his frame after
the first year (although he hadn't tied the towers together that first
year, since then i don't think he's had problems). I've had no trouble with
mine after 5 years, but I don't get the frequency or severity of wheeling
that Mark does. My other buddy re-worked his frame when he installed his
S.R. and built the brace right away. I am about to do a MORE kit on my
son's scrambler, I'll install the frame bracing and a cross bar along with
it. Of course, I'll do some eye-balling of the pieces on the 800 before I
install them on the scrambler.