Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

I want to build my own front shackles for my 37 front end

I have some bronze 3/4” x 1/2” bushings. I need my links to be about 1/2” - 1”longer than stock.
I can make my shackles plates from 1/4” flatbar. I was thinking of using grade 8 1/2” bolts.
Or should I have shackle pins machined with 1/2” stock and 3/8” or 7/16” fine or course threads on the ends.

Should I make them all from stainless or is that overkill? Would mild steel be safer?

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Yes you can make your own shackles, but the extra length may be an issue! Unless you have a locator bar to control the side to side movement of the shackles the vehicle many be undrivable. The early Ford design used the tension of the spring/shackles to control this side to side sway. They later added a locator bar to reduce this sway and make the spring tension on the shackles less of an issue.

Be sure you understand how this works before you attempt to make shackles.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

36 coupe. Mr. Seery makes very good points. Be sure to consider them.

It may not be relevant but I made rear shackles for my 40 years ago and also made my own brass spring bushings. I didn't use any grade 8 or high carbon steel because Henry Ford did not. Also, today's replacement s are mild steel. They don't squeak and have held up very well. I used. 3/8 x 1 cold rolled steel for the side plates and 3/8 CRS for the shackle pins. The threaded ends of the pins are 5/16-24 UNF. These shackles are overkill, for sure.

The other ends of the pins are plug welded to the matching holes drilled into the side plates. Make sure you get good penetration. You could probably use something similar for your front springs, depending on clearance issues, if any. As you probably know, today you can buy Oil Lite bushings and shackle kits so as to save some time and money. But, if you have the machine tools it's fun to make you own parts.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

I like the way you put a shoulder on your brass bushings for side thrust surfaces. Nice.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

And a 40 does have the locator bars. Believe this is not correct! The bar (track bar) wasn't added until 41, 40 added the stabilizer bar.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Mr. Seery: I am not familiar with the term "Locator bars".
What does that refer to?

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Thanks. At the time I made them I never thought of that. I just made then to resemble the rubber replacement bushings.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

When I was in High school auto shop 60 years ago, making long shackles for our fords was a favorite project. Our teacher was a nice guy and didn't object.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Brass/bronze bushings have one BIG drawback. They have to be lubed.
If you make them from moly filled Delrin you can lube them but if you forget to, they will go on working for many years. They should be made with more clearance, both inside and out, than metal ones. (.002)

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

19Fordy The term usually used for "locator bar" is "track bar". One end attached to one side of the frame rail with a pivot point, and the other attaches to the axle on the opposite side with a pivot point. It keeps the axle centered in the frame.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Note: see below, wrong year, it was 41 on the track bar, 40 was stabilizer bar only.

A lot of different terms are used for the same basic piece, locator bar, panhard bar, track bar, etc. I believe Fords catalog term is track bar. I addition, Ford added sway bars (also a lot of different names used).

But the point is, the early Fords relied on the shackles and the tension between the spring and the shackles to help control sway.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

19 Fordy, think I am wrong on the years! Looking at the part book, I'm seeing the 40 added a sway bar, and the rear track bar wasn't added until 42 for passenger cars. The rear track bar wasn't added until 46. This is just my reading of the Green Book.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

OK. Thanks.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

have fun Great to come across someone who wants to create rather than buy and bolt should be more of it, love to see how it turns out

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

While I had my 40Merc the first time, I hung 4inch shackles from Pep boys. Looked great in my mind, but the bottom end of the shackle would sway over and cut the rear tires. I removes them and still have them somewhere

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

I had a front reverse spring made and I would like to have 2” center to center instead of the 1-1/2” center to center shackles to get the shackle angle closer to 45 degrees.
I started out with speedway type shackles that I replaced the rubber bushings with oillite bronze ones.

I used the factory type shackles in the rear but it was a major pain trying to install the original type bushings without specialized tools to do it right.
I was going to weld one end but I think I will keep it the same on each end in case I want to to go longer or shorter on the side plates at a later date.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

36coupe: In your post you said:
I had a front reverse spring made and I would like to have 2” center to center instead of the 1-1/2” center to center shackles to get the shackle angle closer to 45 degrees.

Before doing anything, FIRST contact the folks who reversed your spring and explain what you want to do. It might be a good idea to contact Posies and ask them for advice or visit a shop that specializes with making springs. Are you sure short shackles will change the angle to 45 degrees? I always thought the desired 45 degree angle was engineered into the spring design with the full weight of the car on the ground so that stock shackles could be used.

When you get time: Peruse the Google info. here about shackles.
https://www.google.com/search?q=what...hrome&ie=UTF-8

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Hello,

I built my own rear set of shackles by utilizing the Black Nylon flanged inserts, Grade 8 Hex Head Bolts and formed my own shackle plates out of 1/4" stainless steel to compensate for misalignment. Reason for this was after installing new shackle pins in rear spring and radius rods, and installing rear spring into rear cross member, found out everything (rear cross member and/or frame) was tweaked (out of alignment and off by 1"). I "think" the vehicle may have been stuck in the mud at one time and someone jerked hard to get it out (or something like that). I need to also add that I made 1" diameter x 1" long aluminum spacers so shackle plates are still flat, parallel to rear leaf spring and in correct alignment.

Bruce in Ca.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

I've got 4 each shackle bars that are 2 1/4" center to center on bolt hole. The holes are are the typical square type. If interested pm me and you can have for the cost of the ride.

Re: Shackles? Can I build a set?
 

Another thing to keep in mind on the early V8s, the shackle bushings did not rotate much when installed. The shackles themselves had square holes and the bolt through the bushing had square ends. The way the bushing was installed limited any rotation which also helped control the side sway. Kinda like a friction shock.