Topic: Banana Shackle vs. Hanger Relocation

[Knucklehead]

I'm getting ready to install some 4" Marlin rear springs on my '85 pickup and I was curious as to whether I could just run some banana shackles out back as opposed to relocating the rear spring hanger. It seems as though it should work as well as running a banana shackle up front when running rears up front, but I have seen or heard of anyone doing it yet.  Also, I will be relocating the front hanger the required 6" forward via a frenched hanger.

Anyone see in advantages and/or drawbacks to mounting them this way?

thanks

[fordh8r]

Heck, if no one else has done it, why not be the first and let us know.  Maybe you're onto something here...

[jimbo74]

terry, in thinking about this, banana shackles wont move the mount back further at all, you are missing the point, let me ms paint a pic.... in the front, you use bananas because you cant use longer shackles because they will hit the body mount. in the rear, there is nothing obstructing..... my pictures aren't to scale but they are supposed to be equal, even the length between the bolt holes... lets say both the banana and the regular are 6" from bolt hole to bolt hole, by using the banana you don't gain anything over the regular shackles. you don't need bananas because there is nothing obstructing to necessitate its use

[jimbo74]

now a double shackle would allow the pivot point to be back further.....

but there are a lot of people that are afraid to run them and a lot that love them, so the ultimate choice is up to you on that

[Knucklehead [OP]]

Thanks Jimbo.

The visuals makes sense of of it.

[DTB]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

[jimbo74]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

well, he already has to move the front hanger forward because of the longer lift springs... if he doesnt touch the rear at all, then his wheelbase will change and the axle will no longer be centered to the wheelwell, now this may not always matter in the case of a flatbed or if you want the wheelbase to change, but if you want the wheelbase the same, for longer springs both the front hanger and rear hanger need to be moved

[TacoStewie]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

[jimbo74]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha stewie, i said that in all of my blabbing above, lol

[DTB]

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha yea thats what Im doing

[TacoStewie]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha stewie, i said that in all of my blabbing above, lol

you are just to fast for me, you posted while i was typing. 0-well

[DTB]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha stewie, i said that in all of my blabbing above, lol

you are just to fast for me, you posted while i was typing. 0-well

I cant tell who is replying to what with all these quotes!!

[TacoStewie]

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha yea thats what Im doing

well then lets see some pics

[TacoStewie]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha stewie, i said that in all of my blabbing above, lol

you are just to fast for me, you posted while i was typing. 0-well

I cant tell who is replying to what with all these quotes!!

it is getting hard to tell who is saying what

[jimbo74]

relocate the rears or move the front hangars forward MORE and use the stock rear hangar location.

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha stewie, i said that in all of my blabbing above, lol

you are just to fast for me, you posted while i was typing. 0-well

I cant tell who is replying to what with all these quotes!!

it is getting hard to tell who is saying what

haha, yeah it is

[DTB]

good, if you want a shorter wheel base and want to make a custom flat bed

haha yea thats what Im doing

well then lets see some pics

are you talking to me? ya i think so...... I moved the rear axle up about 3.5 inches to shorten the long arse wheelbase on this extra cab. Not much but it should help out a little... IIRC, the front hangars were moved up about 7 inches. rear hangars still need to be moved up about an inch or so to correct shackle angle. I also need to build some ramps for the front of the hangars. This is just tacked in this photo 

[jimbo74]

dtb, are you going to run into issues with rubbign the mounts, the sliders or the frame now since the frame is now closer to the tires than it was before since the arch?

[DTB]

since the frame is now closer to the tires than it was before since the arch?

I'm not sure exactly what u are asking... there is plenty of clearance between the tire and the sliders..the angle of the pic is decieving. There is plenty of clearance on the bed mount too...

[Knucklehead [OP]]

How's that for shackle angle? 

I'm glad I moved them back instead of trying to take the easy route with a longer shackle.

[DTB]

How's that for shackle angle? 

I'm glad I moved them back instead of trying to take the easy route with a longer shackle.

good for you looks nice

[BigMike]

Sorry if this is too obvious, but I felt I wanted to state it:

Remember there will be absolutely no difference in the above suspension setups. Both of the shackle setups pictured will ride the same, flex the same, unload the same, axle wrap the same, etc.

If we neglect the weight of the shackles themselves, then my above statement is absolutely correct. It is vector addition. No matter what the shape or design of the one-piece solid shackle is, if the starting and ending points are the same, then so is the suspension.

Regards,
BigMike