Hey does anyone know why my drivers side rear shackles (should read Leaf Spring) are separating. I got a Rough Country 3" lift last June (2011) and the rear shackle is coming apart.

Had to tear the shipping label off to take the picture.









I am just wondering if anyone know why this happened. Seems odd.

With all the snow here in the west I have only been able to get out a few times and with 235/75/15 not that too rough of trails.

 

Thats not your shackle, thats your leaf spring. There is something wrong there for sure, like you twisted your axle flexing real hard or something and caused your leaf to twist apart. Thats going to need to be take apart and put back together. OR call the retailer/dealer/manufacturer and get a replacement. I wouldnt drive it like that in the meantime, thats for sure.

PS: Why was all that shipping label, etc., left on there?

PPS: Upon further inspection, it looks as though the bottom leaf has literally pulled out of its pin, which it right behind the clamp. There is a LOT of funky stuff going on under there. The 1st and 3rd photo look like the leafs have all shifted forward, pulling out of the positioning pins. You can see the heads mushroomed where they pulled out. Maybe the u-bolts werent torqued correctly, some flexing or a big bump was hit and BOOM! They moved, pulling out of the pins. My best guess.

 

I would call RC and email them the pictures, they have a life time warranty on there products.

 

The shipping label I just left on when I installed it in June. Has not been used enough to come off yet so I did not worry too much about it.

From the ware marks on the springs I don't see where it shifted much forward or backward it just seemed to slip to the side a little. Could move more and hit and tear the tire though now that I look at it closely.

 

Sent them picture in the email I sent from their web site. I was hoping to get a quicker responce since I have not heard from them in a week but maybe the holliday weekend is slowing them down.

 

Where is Grimus99xj when we need him. Haha

 

that is not your shackle chief... I and intoxicicated and I can still tellyou that is a leaf spring...

you need new clamps...

maybe it is an AAL? if it is did you install the clamps correctly?

 

Where did I get it in my head that it was a shackle spring

LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING, LEAF SPRING

No I got the full set of LEAF SPRINGS and replaced the stock ones.

Still it is funny how they separated like that.

 

maybe you drank a few more than I did?

 

There are no "pins" there, the holes are for the friction pads between the leafs. If I had to guess I would say the u-bolts were not torqued properly, or never retorqued.
Does the other side look the same?

 

Both torqued the same and the otherside is still OK.

I sent another message to RC and I am intersted in seeing what they say too.

 

You can get leaf spring clamps from any good spring shop or parts store to help you there. But still if its the full spring pack and not an AAL then it shouldn't have done that.

 

OK, what are the plastic things called that go through each leaf to the next? In this photo, the top arrow points to a "thing" thats mushroomed and appears that it should go through the next leafs hole, marked with the second arrow. Am I wrong? You can see a reoccurring theme with those throughout the entire pack. The whole pack looks as though each leaf has shifted forward to varying degrees. Either way, that whole pack is royally screwed up. Either way, we're in agreement about the ubolts. It appears as though they werent torqued properly, causing axle wrap and the leafs to shift out of place.

 

Those hold the friction pads on, and one on the clamp has no purpose that I can see. Those "pins" do not go all the way up through the leaf pack. I just did an AAL and the only pin was the center pin

 

OK, friction pad, thank you. I understand its a piece of plastic that holds the friction pad on, but it still goes through the leaf (not the whole pack but that one individual leaf). And he still has mysterious holes in front of them, which is why I thought it might be out of place and/or missing something. The second arrow isnt pointing to the clamp, its pointing to the hole in the leaf. Its either missing its friction pad, or the top arrow friction pad "pin" is supposed to go through it, which would put the leaf really far forward. It would be nice to see a pic of each end to see what the leafs are doing individually as far as forward or rear movement.

Either way, those friction pad pins shouldnt be all messed up looking, there shouldnt be any "empty" holes in ANY leaf and the pack is definitely coming apart and shifting around. Im still betting ubolts were torqued properly, he hit some rough stuff/flexed, wrapped the axle and cause them all to shift.

And that clamp looks REALLY loose too. There is a lot going on there.