Interest in shackle flip for 05+ Taco???
- Thread starter fabjunkie
- Start date
All Pro Expo Leafs + All Pro U Bolt Flip + OEM Bump Stomps + OEM shackle + King OE Shocks.
cam-shaft
Bluebird days
Thanks, the extra droop is looking pretty sweet.
zolo
Explorer
Done
Installed mine tonight. Started at 430 ended at 730. Pretty ridiculous that Toyota welded the washer on the spare tire mount but whatever.
If it wasn't for that I would have been done faster. Super easy and the kit was well put together and very nice.
Travis,
I have to say the fit was perfect. The design was great. It was an easy install and it is possibly the nicest custom bough piece I have installed.
Thanks again The flip was worth the coin.
Here was my before.. battered and bent factory mounts and the after. Straight and correct. I was getting some squeak from bent factory mount now that its all square its gone and the leafs are happy again. I beat my old stuff pretty hard and I'm glad its all fixed up with this kit.
All in all very happy. Next is the ramp and measurement of shocks and new brake lines. This will be great to keep the rear wheels on the ground.
sorry for the crappy pics.
Installed mine tonight. Started at 430 ended at 730. Pretty ridiculous that Toyota welded the washer on the spare tire mount but whatever.
If it wasn't for that I would have been done faster. Super easy and the kit was well put together and very nice.
Travis,
I have to say the fit was perfect. The design was great. It was an easy install and it is possibly the nicest custom bough piece I have installed.
Thanks again The flip was worth the coin.
Here was my before.. battered and bent factory mounts and the after. Straight and correct. I was getting some squeak from bent factory mount now that its all square its gone and the leafs are happy again. I beat my old stuff pretty hard and I'm glad its all fixed up with this kit.
All in all very happy. Next is the ramp and measurement of shocks and new brake lines. This will be great to keep the rear wheels on the ground.
sorry for the crappy pics.
cam-shaft
Bluebird days
Zolo, I am going to ask you now. What are your rear specs? It would be cool if everyone could post their rear suspension specs in this thread after they install. Just saying. Then we could compile the best combo. One more measurement would be a before and after of wheel center to bottom of tacoma fender flare. All-right, I guess I am really going to have to get in the garage this weekend and get these installed.
Thanks, Cam-shaft.
Thanks, Cam-shaft.
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zolo
Explorer
Cam,
I did not do a before or after. My truck is flatbedded so that measurement wouldn't help you much anyhow. But I did gain height looks like 1"-1-1/2"
I run OME Dakar rear springs. I used the factory shackle.
I set the shackle into the Flip Kit at hole #3 from the front to the rear.
I bolted the shackle flip to the frame at the rear most bolt hole.
This is basically what the directions say to start at. And for me seems pretty nice. If I ever carry more weight I can just increase the spring rate and move to the rear most shackle hole. For now it rides nice and the angle of the shackle is correct.
I will post up more once I get some measurements for the shocks. That really should be pretty close for everyone. I suppose there will be some difference in rear springs but once we all gather full drop measurements we might be able to pick a shock that works best. The brake lines are a given they need to be longer.
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Zolo> That factory one was pretty bad. Thanks for the kind words.
The set I installed a couple weeks ago the passenger side was bent inward. This seems to becoming a normal issue on these trucks. For how much abuse that part takes, it surprises me that Toyota didn't design it better.
As for shocks, the Bilstein B110 5100 (bottom of page) is about perfect with the flip. Everyone running them seems to be happy with them and has said that the ride has greatly improved with the new combo.
The set I installed a couple weeks ago the passenger side was bent inward. This seems to becoming a normal issue on these trucks. For how much abuse that part takes, it surprises me that Toyota didn't design it better.
As for shocks, the Bilstein B110 5100 (bottom of page) is about perfect with the flip. Everyone running them seems to be happy with them and has said that the ride has greatly improved with the new combo.
cam-shaft
Bluebird days
Started my rear set up
Freelance Fab shackle flip bracket notes.
Replaced my shackle mounts with Freelance Fab kit since factory driver was bent and did not want to replace hanger with stock one. Kit fit nicely but there was nothing exciting about grinding the old rivets out. It is one of those jobs you know is going to suck but you just have to dive in and get it done. The rivet washer heads on cross-member were a bit of a pain. I would like to see a new X member offered by someone that would replace old one, at this point there is only 4 more rivets to remove. It could plate the frame for some part, probably just cause the frame to crack due to the thinness of frame. I want to replace spring pack and bumps, but have not decided between all-pro expo or the OME. The idea of the adjustability of shackle angle is great for me, especially when I gear up for long trips. I run a consistent 300lbs in bed with canopy and dual batts. I am thinking with this flip one could get away with a little softer spring and still get some payload capability. What are your thoughts? I am also thinking the best compliment for this kit would be an upper shock mount relocation/extension. Looks like you would have to go into the bed some but looks like it could be done with-out causing too much bed interference.
To do: spring pack, brake lines, longer shock, timbren bumps, upper shock mount relocation. Maybe the Ford towers.
-Current set-up: dead stock springs with wheelers 1.5AAL, bilstein 5100 (to short) OEM shackle. Shackle hanger mounting location-mounted to frame in back hole and mounted shackle 3rd hole back. Shackle sits with 10 degree lean forward at rest. Going to try to move shackle forward or bracket forward.
-Ride height before wheel center to bottom of fender
-Before: 23.125 driver/ 23passenger
-After, just off jack: 24.25driver/24.125passenger
-After trip around block and jump up and down on back: 24driver/23.875
-Picked up about 3/4”-7/8” in ride height with stock set up, probably be less once I change shackle angle.
-Droop with shocks still connected 26.75 not going to change until new shocks and brake lines added. Measured from wheel center to bottom of factory flare.
tools used
Old bent shackle set up
Just seeing how bad the rust is under old bracket will make you want to do this mod.
de-rusted and painted
Back view small gap. I did not squeeze bracket to take up gap for shackle, that seemed like extra bind not needed, I just tightened enought to start and squeeze bracket then backed off a bit. Bolt has nylock so it is not going to come off. One could add a small shim I think.
Bracket mounted all the way back with shackle in 3rd hole back suspension at rest. Yes my shackle needs to be flipped 180 but just mocking up.
Shackle in 2nd hole back bracket still in back hole suspension at rest. Looks like to much shackle angle at rest to me.
This mod fits nicely the adjustability is going to be great, could be annoying to some, I think this is a good start point for rear suspension set up.
Freelance Fab shackle flip bracket notes.
Replaced my shackle mounts with Freelance Fab kit since factory driver was bent and did not want to replace hanger with stock one. Kit fit nicely but there was nothing exciting about grinding the old rivets out. It is one of those jobs you know is going to suck but you just have to dive in and get it done. The rivet washer heads on cross-member were a bit of a pain. I would like to see a new X member offered by someone that would replace old one, at this point there is only 4 more rivets to remove. It could plate the frame for some part, probably just cause the frame to crack due to the thinness of frame. I want to replace spring pack and bumps, but have not decided between all-pro expo or the OME. The idea of the adjustability of shackle angle is great for me, especially when I gear up for long trips. I run a consistent 300lbs in bed with canopy and dual batts. I am thinking with this flip one could get away with a little softer spring and still get some payload capability. What are your thoughts? I am also thinking the best compliment for this kit would be an upper shock mount relocation/extension. Looks like you would have to go into the bed some but looks like it could be done with-out causing too much bed interference.
To do: spring pack, brake lines, longer shock, timbren bumps, upper shock mount relocation. Maybe the Ford towers.
-Current set-up: dead stock springs with wheelers 1.5AAL, bilstein 5100 (to short) OEM shackle. Shackle hanger mounting location-mounted to frame in back hole and mounted shackle 3rd hole back. Shackle sits with 10 degree lean forward at rest. Going to try to move shackle forward or bracket forward.
-Ride height before wheel center to bottom of fender
-Before: 23.125 driver/ 23passenger
-After, just off jack: 24.25driver/24.125passenger
-After trip around block and jump up and down on back: 24driver/23.875
-Picked up about 3/4”-7/8” in ride height with stock set up, probably be less once I change shackle angle.
-Droop with shocks still connected 26.75 not going to change until new shocks and brake lines added. Measured from wheel center to bottom of factory flare.
tools used
Old bent shackle set up
Just seeing how bad the rust is under old bracket will make you want to do this mod.
de-rusted and painted
Back view small gap. I did not squeeze bracket to take up gap for shackle, that seemed like extra bind not needed, I just tightened enought to start and squeeze bracket then backed off a bit. Bolt has nylock so it is not going to come off. One could add a small shim I think.
Bracket mounted all the way back with shackle in 3rd hole back suspension at rest. Yes my shackle needs to be flipped 180 but just mocking up.
Shackle in 2nd hole back bracket still in back hole suspension at rest. Looks like to much shackle angle at rest to me.
This mod fits nicely the adjustability is going to be great, could be annoying to some, I think this is a good start point for rear suspension set up.
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