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Rear shackle help

1K views 1 reply 2 participants last post by  steve t 
#1 ·
to make a long story short, i had to make new rear rails on my frame. the frame is a '88 dakota frame and i had to make the rear rails lower.

i was using the dakota brackets and shackles but now the frame is made with 2x4 steel and the end of the leaf spring is beside the rail. see here

i don't want to go above the rail with anything because of the trunk floor.

i know on a lot of GM trucks, the shackle bracket is below the shackle. i could do that but i don't have a bracket and with the 2x4 frame, there isn't a lot of material to attach to.

i was thinking of using a 5/8" or 3/4" bolt thru the frame to use as a pivot point for the shackle. i could put a sleeve through the frame and reinforce it to keep it from bending. but where do i get a sleeve with a 3/4" I.D. that i can weld to? i've seen galvanized pipe and black pipe for plumbing but i don't know if you can weld to that.

any ideas appreciated.

thanks,

JB
 
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