Aftermarket 2" lift rear shackles won't fit - 88 Comanche

[AE88MJ]

I have a 1988 MJ I bought from a guy who did some mild mods and I want to continue what he started without restarting all over again, it is a pretty solid truck. Body, frame and mechanically.

He lifted the front using coil spacers but the rear has not been modified, making it look like it's sagging in the rear.

I bought a set of generic (cheap) aftermarket 2" lift shackles from ebay and even though they were advertised for an XJ, the ad also stated they would fit the MJ. well they don't. They are pretty solid and I would like to keep them, but the head on top where the bushings and sleeve go (frame side) are too long. I even took the sleeve out to present it in the frame and it's simple too long. By far.

I don't think I'm missing anything since this is pretty straight forward (or it should be).

 

Question is, can I trim the outer part of the rubber bushings on both ends and cut the metal sleeve to fit in the frame pocket?

Can anyone recommend if that's a safe step? Or should I just find a set with the exact fit.

 

PD: This is my first post, I couldn't find any posts with similar subjects so I decided to go ahead and ask for advice.

This is a great place for all of us ol' school Jeep lovers.

 

Alex

[MiNi Beast]

longer shackles can be a easy upgrade and cheap lift that can easily net you that 1" to 1 3/4" lift. however keep it in mind with shackle lifts you will be changing the pinion angle a bit  this can be an issue in means of driveshaft being pulled away and off the tcase, (slip yoke), 

also some wedges under the leafs could help aide in correcting the pinion angle. now futher more, mjs shackles should be swappable with xjs. not sure what your working with, a pic could help, but basic theory i think you have it and should be able to trim to fit. just use a little sense and ensure overall integrity is good. 

[Pete M]

can you share a photo of what you're dealing with?  stock XJ and MJ shackles can physically be interchanged between the 2 rigs (MJ ones are a bit longer than XJ though).

[AE88MJ]

9 minutes ago, MiNi Beast said:

longer shackles can be a easy upgrade and cheap lift that can easily net you that 1" to 1 3/4" lift. however keep it in mind with shackle lifts you will be changing the pinion angle a bit  this can be an issue in means of driveshaft being pulled away and off the tcase, (slip yoke), 

also some wedges under the leafs could help aide in correcting the pinion angle. now futher more, mjs shackles should be swappable with xjs. not sure what your working with, a pic could help, but basic theory i think you have it and should be able to trim to fit. just use a little sense and ensure overall integrity is good. 

 

 

thank you for responding.

check out the pics. These are the aftermarket shackles. On the head on top it measures 3" from end to end (rubber to rubber). the sleeve that sits inside those rubber bushings is also 3".

The second pic is the actual OEM bushing, and they sell those those if you were to keep the old shackles. Their length is 2 3/4 ". (bummer)

I found all this out after taking pieces apart, so it's my bad for not double checking.

I want to trim the aftermarket rubber bushings and sleeve and use what I bought already.

 

[Pete M]

dang, that's a "close but no cigar" moment.   but that's what grinders are for I guess.  

[AE88MJ]

2 minutes ago, Pete M said:

dang, that's a "close but no cigar" moment.   but that's what grinders are for I guess.  

 

 

cool, trim away then!

[MiNi Beast]

 think you need new shackles

 

should be 2 3/4. i think you got ford shackles. 

 

 

 

 

[MiNi Beast]

maybe not. maybe just open your tabs up a bit. 

[AE88MJ]

yeah the seller from ebay sells those for XJs and MJs but I think they would have to rectify their information.

it doesn't go straight in without tinkering with it