just installed the slr shackles (picture is pre-installation, with new 32 MTs - very able tires so far...). i noticed when installing the shackles, the shackle is significantly wider than the spring eye and frame bracket. thus the spring slides slightly on the bolt. i don't believe it to be any big deal. any thoughts?


[img]http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=1600015&a=12193472&p=44331635&Sequence=0&res=high[/img]



[This message has been edited by fakie99 (edited 03-20-2001).]

my first thought was your picture is too small My second thought was that the space in the shackle has presented no problems since my install about a month ago.

------------------
Blenderheads Xterra Homepage

Greg Moultrie
00 Aztec Red XE 3-pak
4x4 Auto

You can crank on the shackle bolts to remove some of the slack. Just be careful not to strip the bolts.

My other thought is you might want to remove those steprails before you drive them into your rear tire or rockerpanels.

Oh, and you can order Bilstein shocks from SLR, extended specifically for the shackle distance.

------------------
Join the Xterra Offroad Webring

2000 Aztec Red 4x4 V-6 XE-3Pak
www.xterra4x4.com

Mine are sliding too and I have the shackles tightened down pretty tight. I'll probably take the bols out, or atleast release one side and add some washers or something to the inside to reduce the amount of spae in there. I need to find out if those nuts can be reused before I do it...somebody said they are crushing nuts or soemthing (haha!). It certainly isn't a problem, but i do get thunks fromt he springs when I turn sometimes; especially while going over speedbumps.






------------------
ChuckH
2000 SE 4x4, Aztec Red

i was thinking along the same lines - adding washers. with as difficult as the nuts were to tighten, i don't think they can be used again. (you're right, the term is crushing nuts, but it's hard to say...)

if you end up doing this, let me know how it goes.



------------------

Did SLR change the hardware they provide with the shackles? Mine were just normal bolts and nuts...(albeit high quality, metric 10.9 and standard grade 8.)

------------------
Vikram/gothamist -- MAXC member
http://www.4x4LO.com

these are definitely a locking/crush type nut - did you re-use the stock lock washers or did slr provide them?


------------------

Yeah, I think they changed them because I was able to crank on my shackles to bend them in. We installed some others later on and stripped the nut trying to do the same (this was one of the crushing nuts).

SLR is also now shipping longer bolts.

------------------
Join the Xterra Offroad Webring

2000 Aztec Red 4x4 V-6 XE-3Pak
www.xterra4x4.com

Hum…I have had the SLR shackles on my truck for a while now, done several trails and never had any movement of the bolts/nuts and the ones SLR send fit really snug. The bottom bolts included where too short for locking washers, but with the locking nut included I was not really concerned, but check them nevertheless as part of my regular pre-run routine.

About the extended length Blistein shocks, I would proceed cautiously with them because there is a possibility that they are generic 5100's and not specifically valued/designed for Xterra's and/or the added weight some have upfront, did not go through the same Blistein testing process that the stock production ones did, are not really proven yet (The stock production ones are based on the prototypes that several have been very pleased with for 6+ months), and apparently no other vendor or Blistein knows anything about them for a Xterra? Although I really hope the extended length shocks work out, until I see more details and feedback from actual users I would be hesitate to purchase them myself.

I couldn't get the factory locking washers to fit over the new bolts, so I left them off. I have the new longer bolts, BTW, it's just that the washers were too small in diameter. I don't believe that there is any reason to worry about the nuts coming off.

It will rpobably be awhile before I get to adding washers on the inside of the shackle.



------------------
ChuckH
2000 SE 4x4, Aztec Red

Is that picture above before... Or after the shackle install? Maybe it's the angle of the picture of the truck in the driveway, but it appears that the front is higher than the back?

------------------
2001 Solar Yellow SE 4x4 V6 5spd

Re-read the first post.

He meant to say, "It's the before picture, as originally stated in the first post."

------------------
Xavier
"I invented electricity. Benjamin Franklin is the devil"

No i think he meant
"Re-read the first post"



------------------

I was giving out the polite version...

------------------
Xavier
"I invented electricity. Benjamin Franklin is the devil"