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Jungle's (Jim) Shackle Flip Kit Install and Review

66K views 195 replies 23 participants last post by  jungle 
#1 ·
Many of you have seen that Jim (Jungle) is making another type of shackle flip kit.

I will be installing one of these kits on one of my RC's for testing.

It will be installed on a 1978 Ramcharger poptop. 360 cid/np435/203 factory axles. The body of this truck has been removed and is being replaced with a different one at a later date.

Jim has also designed a replacement front spring rear bushing/housing that is bigger and more heavy duty. This will also be replaced on this truck.

Other mods happening at the same time but not all at once are 6" lift springs in the front and 2" lift springs in the rear (These came off a previous project) and installing a dana 60 in the rear. I will get measurements to the frame sitting factory, installing the shackle flip kit and getting measurements. Then removing the blocks and getting measurements. Then finally instlling the D60 rear, measuring.
I am going to try get take as many pics as I can of the install and in as much detail as possible. If you have questions during the install feel free to ask and I will answer your questions as I can.

Just to give you an idea of were I am starting





Factory springs and hangers



 
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#2 ·
nice .... sounds like exactly what i am doing but i think mines gonna have a body on it at the time of install

and i am running 4 inch rear springs 
 
#3 ·
Decide to get started on the springs

Here are the front springs and as you can see the bushings came right out. But they had been changed before, they were poly bushing already.





These are the rear springs, they have a little over 2" of lift



I got lucky the bolts came right out and the factory hangers came right off.



These are for sale if you need them $40 shipped!

Wasn't so lucky with the rear bushings. They had to be pressed out.



Now keep in mind that so far I am doing this in my shop/garage. I don't have all those high dollar tools other people have at there disposal. I have a 20 ton press from Harbor Freight (which has been good to me) and a compressor and some air tools. So don't think this can't be done by anyone.



I have a cheap set of metric impact sockets that get used with the press when needed and the 21mm fits the bushings and sleeve just right.



Few minutes later they were all out.





Now a quick check to make sure the bushing that were INCLUDED in the kit were going to fit.





And then to do the installing, a little slick'um makes this alot easier, well that and a soft mallet







I do have one problem



The bushings Jim set in the kit are black, the ones I have are red. This is unacceptable

Jim if you read this I NEED ANOTHER SET OF FRONT BUSHINGS! ;D
Guess I need to buy a set of black ones
 
#4 ·
I told Jim when I got these that the pictures he sent did not do them justice. So I am going to play salesman and show you how great this kit is

First - rear springs front hanger







You can see the quality built into these hangers

Check out the greaseable bolts and lock nuts





Now for the rear spring rear hanger and replacement shackle







Same greaseable bolts and lock nuts



Now for the front spring rear bushing and housing.

This thing is huge compared to the factory one



Same greaseable bolts and lock nuts



One thing I asked Jim about when he told me this thing was bigger than the factory one was how to cut the hole bigger without the fancy equipment, he had the solution already.



This thing bolts to the frame and you can use a 2" hole sawto enlarge the hole



The bushing is larger than factory and is poly. If you look at the bolt sizes you can see factory size and the left and heavy duty on the right



Everything being installed is greaseable so it will last a long time.

Can't wait to get this thing installed!
 
#5 ·
Looks great.  Another tip for putting in polyurethane bushings is to freeze them for about an hour.  That shrinks them up nice and they can be pressed in with your fingers in most cases.
 
#7 ·
Thanks guys!!!
I did try to get the red bushings but as you know the dodge stuff is HARD to find & the minimum order for the red was out of reach. One of the reasons for the grease fittings is so the bolts don't rust to the sleeves making disassemble almost impossible without cutting them out. Secondly is the greased parts will last a lot longer. Rockey Mountain suspension does a small inexpensive grease gun for the poly stuff if you feel you need the special grease. I'm still on the fence on this one, but will probably get one when I get closer on mine. Chris this is a super nice write up!!!!! Thank you!!!
Chris PM me if you need the Black greaseable bushing setup. Also where they are used so we get the size right. I should have stock on hand.
 
#8 ·
looks like i might have fun getting bushings out of springs .... i dont have a press  ???
 
#10 ·
I'd say Jim's brackets are much stronger than the factory stamped pieces and should handle a trailer just fine.  Remember, only the tongue weight of the trailer rides on the truck's suspension if the trailer is loaded correctly.

One other thing that I really like about Jim's brackets, they don't have a pocket that will hold years of dirt and mud in them.  I still can't understand why Dodge and GM both made brackets like that but I have seen many rust all the way through.  The set of factory brackets I cut off a frame ended up being too thin due to rust so if I do decide to do a shackle flip, if funds are available, I'll definitely be using Jim's brackets.
 
#11 ·
Started on removing the factory hangers today.

Since all the measurements will be done without the springs being bolted down to the axle I decided to remove the u-bolts and cycle the springs a little prior to taking any measurements.



Now I am planning on doing the u-bolt flip as well so I was not worried about saving the u-bolts, makes for easy removal just used the grinder and POW!



Also I removed the the top bolt in the shocks, which will not be used either.



I measured from the ground up to the bottom of the frame and got 26 1/2", this is my starting numbers. I will also be measuring another RC to check measurements.

Started removing the bolts on the springs which started out easy enough



Ofcoarse there is always one bolt that does not want to cooperate and you have to get a little creative



After getting the springs off I started removing the rivets on the hangers. Nothing fancy here just used a grinder with a cut-off wheel. If you have access to an air chisel then it is much easier and faster, but I don't have a compressor where the RC is stored YET! Once the rivets have been cut off some carefully placed hits with a rather large hammer or BHF if you prefer the hanger will pop off. If it still wants to be stubborn then driving a cold chisel in between the frame and the hanger will help. Still having problems you might have to do a little more grinding on the area of the rivets and some muscle. Most of the time after the hanger has been removed a couple real good swings with a maul will drive the rivets out. If they still don't come out it is back to the grinder, you may need a punch also. When you get the out it will look like this





Tomarrow I will remove the hangers on the other side and get everything ready for the installation.
 
#12 ·
I must have missed something. How much does the entire kit cost? Jungle is taking it to production level?

I am a DIY'er through and through, although the quality of the product appears beyond my scope, within a reasonable amount of time.
 
#13 ·
A note on axle U-bolts.  Never worry about cutting them as you should never reuse them anyway.  They bend and stretch to fit and shouldn't be used twice.
 
#15 ·
OK guys after Chris ( warlock4x4 ) & Tim (Mopar_tim) get theirs installed & hopefully don't run into any curves we will be offering them for sale. Also, with the help of Chris & Tim, I want to make up a drill template so the install will go easier. The front HD frame bushings are available for sale right now. I have them listed in the parts for sale section. I plan on making up kits ahead of time so there is not a long lead time in getting the product out to a customer.


Chris,
Without the body, how are you going to keep the axle in correct location in the wheel well opening? It looks a lot easier to remove the spring hangers without the body on!!
 
#16 ·
I am not using the longer Chebby springs like some people (Jim) so the locating of the hangers in relation to the factory ones is were I am planning on going.  The axle should end up in the same location as stock.
 
#17 ·
Nobody else mentioned it, but you do have frame rot showing on the one pic after you took the hanger off, make sure you fit it before you put anything else n there!
 
#18 ·
There is some surface rust but so far nothing I would consider rot.
 
#19 ·
#20 ·
Its ok... Chris just bring them across the water to me and we can put them on my truck since im getting ready to do mine anyways.  ;D Just have to watch the traffic on the way back with that screwed up tunnel lately
 
#21 ·
that looks like a spot he hit with the grinder and the light it making it look like a hole
 
#22 ·
Actually, on the left is the area where the hanger was making real good contact withthe frame and it is not rusted at all in that particular place.  The surrounding area has the surface rust and that area is still black.


Anyway, I did manage to get the hangers off on the other side today.  Went ahead and took a wire brush to the frame area and shot it with some rust converting paint.  Tomarrow we start mocking up the hangers and springs.
 
#23 ·
warlock4x4 said:
Actually, on the left is the area where the hanger was making real good contact withthe frame and it is not rusted at all in that particular place. The surrounding area has the surface rust and that area is still black.

Anyway, I did manage to get the hangers off on the other side today. Went ahead and took a wire brush to the frame area and shot it with some rust converting paint. Tomarrow we start mocking up the hangers and springs.
Good to hear, mine is rotted through in that exact same spot, just haven't gotten that far yet and that is the only reason I brought it up. I'm not looking forward to fixing that...
 
G
#24 ·
This is the greatest thing since... well since the piss on chevy stickers. I actually have been hunting for a good rear shackle flip kit for my 79 power wagon. I stumbled upon Shaggy's website and he's out of business. I contacted him and he MIGHT have a few sets laying around. We'll see... but this kit by Jim is gorgeous. Put me on that list of when they go up for sale.

What started out as a little toy project has become an absolute money pit and headache. 1979 dodge power wagon with a stroked / bored 440 ( 500 now ) custom alcan leaf springs with 6" of lift, complete frame off rebuild, dana 60 front ( from a dodge ) with 410 gears and a dana 70 rear ( from a dodge ) with disc conversion. The cab took a lot of work.. new floors, braces, cab corners etc.. etc... To keep it from every rotting again I actually powder coated EVERYTHING as a primer. I know it sounds overkill but I don't want it to rot out again so even my entire cab was powder coated.

Jim, you put bowtie springs on your truck? Yuck.. could be worse though.. a guy in my town has a 78 Macho Man edition power wagon and he put a 454 in it. I honestly want to walk up to that guy and just smack him upside his head.
 
#25 ·
PowerWagon500Stroker said:
Jim, you put bowtie springs on your truck? Yuck.. could be worse though.. a guy in my town has a 78 Macho Man edition power wagon and he put a 454 in it. I honestly want to walk up to that guy and just smack him upside his head.
Lot of guys run the chevy springs, better articulation.
 
#26 ·
i have got a bone to pick with jim ......


he did not take any pictures with any kind of scale next to the brackets ....... these things are freaking huge

when i got home and saw the 67 pound box sitting on the porch i new the day had just gotten better


 
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