Barracuda rear shackle question

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danmax

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I was planning on fitting offset shackles to my 67 barracuda - View attachment image.jpgthe rear shackles don't look like they are going to work judging by what I have in the car at the moment - any ideas? The outside shackle is already way more offset than the ones supplied with the kit
 
I cant quite figure out what I'm seeing in the pic ? Maybe offset has already been done.
 
That's NOT a stock A-body shackle and I don't think it's a correct offset shackle, either. The factory shackle is straight on both sides and the offset is offset on both sides
 
Someone has rednecked the crap out of your shackles. The inner shackle is straight (and stock!!!), the outer one is an offset shackle, but it's not being used to offset the spring. The straight shackle is stock, and your spring is still in the stock location. For some reason someone used an offset shackle and a really long shackle bolt with an extra bushing/spacer. It's not even an A-body offset shackle. Either the previous owner didn't have the right shackle, or he didn't have a bolt short enough to use with the stock shackle. Either way, the spring is in the stock location, and that offset shackle isn't doing anything other than being a really bad idea.

A-body offset spring kits only move the springs inboard a 1/2". Your shackle mount is still in the stock location, so your offset kit should work just fine.

Here's the picture tweaked so you can actually see what's going on. Below it is a picture of an actual A-body offset shackle mounted on my car. I'd get one from the same angle, but I've since installed spring sliders to replace the shackles.

image.jpg


IMG_1542.jpg
 
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Someone has rednecked the crap out of your shackles. The inner shackle is straight, the outer one is an offset shackle, but it's not being used to offset the spring. The straight shackle is stock, and your spring is still in the stock location. For some reason someone used an offset shackle and a really long spring eye bolt with an extra bushing/spacer. It's not even an A-body offset shackle. Either the previous owner didn't have the right shackle, or he didn't have a bolt short enough to use with the stock shackle. Either way, the spring is in the stock location, and that offset shackle isn't doing anything other than being a really bad idea.

A-body offset spring kits only move the springs inboard a 1/2". Your shackle mount is still in the stock location, so your offset kit should work just fine.

Here's the picture tweaked so you can actually see what's going on. Below it is a picture of an A-body offset shackle...
:protest:
I bought an offset shackle kit from a member on here. the rear shackles plus the front offsets. I took a stock new spring pad, carefully cut in two (length ways) on a band saw, fine ground it to 3/4" exactly (keep it square) on a disc sander. these I welded to the original uncut spring pads on an 8 3/4 rear end. go slow moving from side to side, letting it cool so as not to distort the housing you then can redrill 2 holes in each pad for the u bolts. it offset the springs a full 3/4" front back and center. this is very easy if you have access to the band saw-sander, and stick welder. no guessing or measureing pad angles !! worked like a charm for a full 3/4" !-----bob
 
:protest:
I bought an offset shackle kit from a member on here. the rear shackles plus the front offsets. I took a stock new spring pad, carefully cut in two (length ways) on a band saw, fine ground it to 3/4" exactly (keep it square) on a disc sander. these I welded to the original uncut spring pads on an 8 3/4 rear end. go slow moving from side to side, letting it cool so as not to distort the housing you then can redrill 2 holes in each pad for the u bolts. it offset the springs a full 3/4" front back and center. this is very easy if you have access to the band saw-sander, and stick welder. no guessing or measureing pad angles !! worked like a charm for a full 3/4" !-----bob

If you say so.

The stock front spring hangers are only about 5/8" from touching the outside of the frame rail, and that's being generous. Since the offset kits don't put the hanger inside of the frame rail, they can't move the spring in 3/4".

Weld the perches wherever you please, but the front spring eye only moves inboard about a 1/2", regardless of whose kit you use.

Completely moot anyway. I installed a "3/4" Mopar Performance offset kit on my Duster. I measured the distance from the stock front hangers to the frame at a little under 5/8" on that car. I measured the difference between the stock front spring hangers and the "3/4" MP front hangers at a 1/2". So, I welded the perches exactly a 1/2" inboard from stock. My tires have never rubbed the springs, but they have rubbed on the inside of the wheel house. So, even if you squeeze the spring an extra 1/4", you don't get any additional tire clearance, because the stock wheel tubs are the limiting factor, not the offset springs.

Honestly, I'm tired of this discussion. I've measured it, and I can tell you 100%, on all three of my A-bodies, there is no more than 5/8" from the front spring hanger to the frame. So, you can't have a 3/4" offset at the front hanger. Not physically possible. Maybe if you weld the perches inboard 3/4" and the rear shackles are 3/4" offset you can gain some extra clearance on the tires at the rear of the spring, but you can't move the fronts that far. Which is why Dr. Diff markets his offset kit at a 1/2", even though his front hangers have the same dimensions as the MP 3/4" kits. Ask Cass. He makes offset kits, he sells them as 1/2" offset kits, and he's measured the MP kits.

And since that has nothing really to do with the OP's issue, maybe we could leave that discussion for the dozens of other threads where it has already been beat to death.
 
View attachment image.jpg


I suspect the rednecks may have actually been Chrysler Australia - :eek:ops:

I am using the dr diff relocation kit that should give me the extra 1/2 inch of clearance


I guess I'll just cut the original setup to fit...
 
If you say so.

The stock front spring hangers are only about 5/8" from touching the outside of the frame rail, and that's being generous.

And since that has nothing really to do with the OP's issue, maybe we could leave that discussion for the dozens of other threads where it has already been beat to death.


Thanks - I have actually read the dozens of other 1/2 inch vs 3/4 inch threads - I have trial fitted the dr diff hangers and they are hard against the frame so 1/2 inch it is

Thanks for the advice too famous bob - sounds like a great way to install/modify the perches
 
No idea but had a look under one of my Australian Valiant Chargers and has same setup

Over the years I assume someone has just swapped these local brackets into the barracuda???

I don't have straight brackets so will just have to cut these down to the right size
 
If I had to guess why factory would install a hanger made like that... road quality. All the high mileage well worn spring bushings I have seen were worn laterally/sideways meaning the left to right stress made more wear than straight rotational/up down stress. if the roads are extremely rough the sideways stresses would really take a toll on the 2 bolts where the clip bolts to the car. The wider hanger would absorb a lot more lateral stress.
 
Of course you can move the spring perches inward 3/4". Because the front hangers can only be moved 1/2" before they hit the frame, the springs will be pulled inward an additional 1/4" toward the rear, however. In other words, no matter what you do, the net result is 1/2" additional tire clearance per side.
 
If I had to guess why factory would install a hanger made like that... road quality. All the high mileage well worn spring bushings I have seen were worn laterally/sideways meaning the left to right stress made more wear than straight rotational/up down stress. if the roads are extremely rough the sideways stresses would really take a toll on the 2 bolts where the clip bolts to the car. The wider hanger would absorb a lot more lateral stress.

That's a good point, it did occur to me that the longer shackle bolt and increased bushing surface area would reduce stress on the bushings.

Still, it seems weird to me. They obviously started with the same shackle hanger as over here in the US, and then added the extension. Maybe some kind of government standard over there? Otherwise I don't really see that amount of work being done for the relatively small benefit of increased bushing surface area. The bushings last for a hundred thousand miles over here, even with really crappy roads they'd far outlast any kind of factory warranty. Which kind of negates the factory going in and making expensive custom modifications to mass-produced parts.

Of course you can move the spring perches inward 3/4". Because the front hangers can only be moved 1/2" before they hit the frame, the springs will be pulled inward an additional 1/4" toward the rear, however. In other words, no matter what you do, the net result is 1/2" additional tire clearance per side.

Exactly! :evil3:
 
It might take some stress off the bushings but it sure would increase the stress on that upper bracket a TON.
 
72blu
" because the stock wheel tubs are the limiting factor, not the offset springs.'

Thats what I discovered too. I had to really,really,pound my stock inner tubs, to fit 325/50-15s in there at my lowered ride height. I had plenty of room to the springs using the "3/4" inch Mopar kits.
 
It might take some stress off the bushings but it sure would increase the stress on that upper bracket a TON.

I'm seeing more movement be spread across easily replaceable rubber bushings versus failure of the 2 little bolts in welded nuts to the car.
 
I'm seeing more movement be spread across easily replaceable rubber bushings versus failure of the 2 little bolts in welded nuts to the car.

the inner wheel wells are the limiting factor on mine also. READ NON BELIEVERS. I bought my front spring perches off a guy that said they wouldn't work on his a body. I DID have to enlarge a stock hole in the frame for them to fit, the bolts were a ***** ! where he got these things, I cannot say, sorry yours aren't that good :finga:
 
I'm seeing more movement be spread across easily replaceable rubber bushings versus failure of the 2 little bolts in welded nuts to the car.

Looks like the bushings have to be in the same places as stock to me, and the wider shackle just adding more leverage against them.
Now if the top bracket on the car frame was as wide as the shackle, then I could see how it would "spread" the load.
Even though the bolt that goes through the top bracket is a lot longer it still has to have bushing where the top bracket ends.
 
Looks like the bushings have to be in the same places as stock to me, and the wider shackle just adding more leverage against them.
Now if the top bracket on the car frame was as wide as the shackle, then I could see how it would "spread" the load.
Even though the bolt that goes through the top bracket is a lot longer it still has to have bushing where the top bracket ends.

It uses three bushes - two same as the lower and a tube tube bushing in the middle
 
It uses three bushes - two same as the lower and a tube tube bushing in the middle

I see that, but I think what is being missed is that the bushings for the bracket (tube section) on the body are still in the factory position.
A longer top bolt with a spacer/bushing isn't going to add any advantage at all.
If the tube that the top bolt goes through was as long as the bracket is wide, then yes I can see that spreading the load out over the longer area.

Oh, I see.
I saved the picture and then zoomed in on and see that the tube is actually extended out.

In the words of Rosanne Rosanna Danna, NEVERMIND :D
 
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