Sulastic shackles

[Scalf77]

Great post, very informative. Nice work.

-greg

[vandiesel]

Eric, That was so helpful, thank you so much. I'm literally on my way to Oregon spring to fix my SMB front end. I'm hoping they can get close to deaver like spirngs (they make them for deaver) and have fox shocks on order as well. Already ordered rear sulastic shackles based on carringb's, whose I saw at Prineville res one time. Now the fronts are ordered. I just picked this transformer up and sold my quadvan and this rides so bad compared. The butt in seat test made me think that a washboard trip would be so bad as to be van selling bad. Thanks again for providing needed hope. I'll report back.

[vandiesel]

Well I was directed to go through Deaver and have the springs made at Oregon spring. Both sulastic shackles ordered. I’m just copying shuttle pilot. Thanks everyone for the great information here. Do I need custom length fox shocks for the front?


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[arctictraveller]

Originally Posted by vandiesel

Eric, That was so helpful, thank you so much. I'm literally on my way to Oregon spring to fix my SMB front end.

I'm very interested in how you experience with OS works out. Hopefully they can design something that works for you. The real trick in building springs is in the design rather than the fabrication. Dever does the design work and then subcontracts out the fabrication to more than one builder. I'm looking forward to your review...........

[vandiesel]

Ok I just ordered my Deaver Springs. In talking with Jeff he said he is not a fan of the sulastic shackles because he said they walked the bushings out sideways almost immediately. I've looked at the pics and I can't see how it could happen but wanted to share his experience. I think of him as an authority so YMMV. I ordered front and back and they shipped.

[ShuttlePilot]

I'm glad my contribution to the thread has been helpful or at least entertaining for folks. Thanks.

Originally Posted by vandiesel

In talking with Jeff he said he is not a fan of the sulastic shackles because he said they walked the bushings out sideways almost immediately. I've looked at the pics and I can't see how it could happen but wanted to share his experience. I think of him as an authority so YMMV.

Actually, I would agree with Jeff. The bushings Deaver used on my springs were the traditional vulcanized rubber type and completely failed even with regular shackles. That was what prompted me to press them out and go with the urethane bushings. After only a few years my springs were slopping back and forth in the saddles with some rubber completely broken and some sliding to one side within the spring eye. I could definitely see how the sulastic would expedite that failure even quicker. The bushings are my only complaint with the springs Deaver provided. I understand that bushing types could warrant their own discussion but urethane is something I have experience with in other suspension types so I went with that. And, so far I feel has been a vast improvement over the vulcanized rubber type. Even before attempting the Sulastic install. Now, I feel the urethane T shape bushing is beneficial with the Sulastic as it traps the sides of the moving shackles providing additional lateral support.

So, at this point I would say you have a decision to make if your going with the Sulastic and the Deavers. Use the bushing Deaver provides, install the Sulastic and see what happens. Worst case would be you would have to press them out and install something different that holds up like the urethane or maybe something else. This would provide a positive answer that Jeff was right and we all learned something OR assume Jeff is right and have Deaver not install any bushings, saving you from pressing them out later, and installing a bushing type like urethane or something else right away.

I'm not stating that the urethane bushings are required for the sulastics to work as I really don't know. I don't have many miles on them to make an endurance claim, yet. But it seems to be a combination that is working so far. As I mentined early in my posts I wasn't able to find much info on this whole thing so I'm learning too.

Keep us posted on how things go.

- Eric

[vandiesel]

Will do. Since Oregon Spring is building the Deavers they may have that option. I'll report back.

[vandiesel]

I went to pick the van up Friday and found 2 things. First thing is that the fox shocks agile sent were too short for the new rear springs. I sent them back and will ride the billies for now. Second, they did not cut the bump stop or lower the shock mount even though I covered with the manager and the installer before they started and provided all of shuttlepilot's pics and writeup on the shackles. Ugh.. The tail looks lower than the front so I may have to spacer that up. I am thinking at this point that axle tube shock mounts would be the way to go now. This morning I looked closely at the pictures posted in the thread and I'm not sure there is room between the spring pack and steering yoke. Does anyone have leafs up front with housing mounted shocks? It just seems like a better fix at this point. The shocks were on and were compressed to the pouint where the boots were buckled up in front. It looks like there are plenty of weld on solutions for the mounts if there is room. Since my rig is sitting at Oregon Spring I can't look.

[boywonder]

Excellent write up and video shuttlepilot!


...another related question.....are the top U-bolt plates with the bottom shock mount tabs something that is readily available? My advanced conversion has some primitive angle iron for lower shock mounts....

[vandiesel]

I picked it up today and it rides amazing. The rear shocks did not fit as they were too short so John at agile is working on that. The front shocks had the mounts lowered per Deaver‘s instructions and that turned out to be a bad move. They spec a bilstien shock, which I had, and the Fox shocks don’t need the lower mount. There is only 1.5 inches of out travel now and we are working on a solution for that. It’s certainly not a plug and play suspension to say the least. Nothing like doing things twice. I need to bone up on my old geometry lessons.


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