Outer Limits 4x4 Board

fitting some shackles to the mq...

ive pulled the existing front shackles off and there's no bushes - the bolts go thru a steel sleeve with no space to fit bushes...

is this normal? i have bushes that would take the place of the sleeve (right dimensions) but the sleeve doesnt seem to want to come out?

do i leave the steel sleeve in there and scrap the new bushes or do i try and bash that sleeve out somehow?

the same diam steel sleeve is in the spring hanger mount and in the leafpack.

advice anyone?

That is factory MQ setup.

The only way to run rubber bushes is to cut the mounts off and weld on new ones that will take a decent size bush. The steel sleeves work quite well though some owners have had the mounts crack off the chassis.

DR Frankenstine wrote:The only way to run rubber bushes is to cut the mounts off and weld on new ones that will take a decent size bush. The steel sleeves work quite well though some owners have had the mounts crack off the chassis.

like me only a few weeks ago, few 6mm arc rods fixed that

Big Red Toy wrote:

DR Frankenstine wrote:The only way to run rubber bushes is to cut the mounts off and weld on new ones that will take a decent size bush. The steel sleeves work quite well though some owners have had the mounts crack off the chassis.

like me only a few weeks ago, few 6mm arc rods fixed that

Mine cracked about 6-8 weeks ago. So i decided it was a good excuse to do a shackle reversial

never had mine crack but they arent about to brake anymore

the front hanger mount is sleeved as such for the bolt size.....

the bushes in the leave pack however, u can play with. to get the round sleeve out you cut a slit in the bottom of the round sleeve with a hacksaw and heat her up and sit a 24 or 27mm socket on the bush and tap her out with a lump hammer.... then just fit your new bushes.....

Which are the right shackles for the MQ and MK.

I have a MK 9/84 and the front shackles are parrallel, the other truck Im wrecking has offest shackles fitted, I have been told that the MK had the parralal shackles and also been told that mine are wrong and should have to offset shakles, which is it.

Ive looked in my Nissan manuals and I might as well be reading a comic book with all the help it provides.

stevelb1 wrote:Which are the right shackles for the MQ and MK.

I have a MK 9/84 and the front shackles are parrallel, the other truck Im wrecking has offest shackles fitted, I have been told that the MK had the parralal shackles and also been told that mine are wrong and should have to offset shakles, which is it.

Ive looked in my Nissan manuals and I might as well be reading a comic book with all the help it provides.

There were about 6 different front spring setups thru the MQ/K range.
later MKs had the offset shackles.

To remove the sleeve sleeve if it need replacing just soak overnight with penetrene and bash out using a bolt / stepped drift.

Bazzle

My cars got the offset ones (built 86, first reg'd 87). I took it down to the local workshop and got them to replace the steel bushes. They soaked them over night, then gave it the heat treatment and tapped (moreso BASHED) them out with an offset drift.

When i ordered the superior shackles, they wanted to know the year and month of manufacturing, engine, body type, and my missus' phone number. Just to be sure.

Its easy to tell guys.....

get the tape measure out.

basically..... if the leaves are wider than the mount then its sposed to have offset shackles..... if the mount and the leave are same then its all good....

bushes will play a part but at the end of the day there should be like 5mm either side of the leaves.....

basically the mounts are 60mm wide..... MQ early leaves curve in at the mount then u have the 5mm of rubber on either side so u end up with 60mm on the leave and the mount so u have straight shackles.......

after market and later leaves dont curve in at the mount they are staight 60mm all the way through then u have the bushes so u have offset shackles.....

u can run straight shackles on the offset ones if u take a grinder out and grind a few mm off either side of the BUSH...

screwy

"gurumon"

Did you end up doing the shackles or not, I did mine today with my own made extended shackles front and back, I replaced to front shackle bushes also, just a tip on you bush's if you haven't done them yet, place the bushes in the freezer for about 2 hours before you install them, it shrinks them and it make them easier to put in, but dont arse about when inserting them as they heat back to normal temp rather quickly.

I got abouta 35-40mm hieght increase which make it look rather good now.

stevelb1 wrote:"gurumon"

Did you end up doing the shackles or not, I did mine today with my own made extended shackles front and back, I replaced to front shackle bushes also, just a tip on you bush's if you haven't done them yet, place the bushes in the freezer for about 2 hours before you install them, it shrinks them and it make them easier to put in, but dont arse about when inserting them as they heat back to normal temp rather quickly.

I got abouta 35-40mm hieght increase which make it look rather good now.

yep... did them a coupla weeks ago.
i got my shackles from superior (mainly cos i was in a hurry and needed the shackles quicker than my bodgy fab skillz could make them)...
i got about 50mm lift (as they're about 3inch over standard) but the original springs have sagged about an inch
i now have the problem of the 33's rubbing on the front guards on full compression. looking at extending bumpstops to solve that problem - until i get time to do some guard chopping

i used new bushes on the back (and i did use the freezer trick) but on the front i stuck with the factory steel sleeve (cos i couldnt be assed stuffing around to try and get them out!)

So other then the bump stops, did you have to modify anything else?

Might do shackles and body lift as a cheap lift until I decide if I want to get new suspension or not.

adam.s wrote:So other then the bump stops, did you have to modify anything else?

Might do shackles and body lift as a cheap lift until I decide if I want to get new suspension or not.

all i did was chuck the shackles on... havent replaced the shocks with longer travel units yet - which means the shock is probably acting as a limiting strap (which can't be good long term - not to mention limiting my travel!) once i get the longer travel shocks on there i may be tearing brake lines - altho looking at it i've still got a fair amount of travel left in the brake lines.

to do it properly you probably should.....

extended shackles
guard cutting and/or bumpstop extensions
longer travel shocks
brake lines
castor wedges
and probably a wheel alignment after you've put the bigger rubber on

im sure there's more i've forgotten (and yet to discover) but that's a start

I did notice today driving to work that its slightly more bouncier, and that the steering wheel has moved off centre now, other than that it looks good, all the guys at work commented on it as well.

One guy said she leaning to one side but it was the way I parked it on the driveway, when I got home this afternoon I measured the front end from the ground to the wheel arch flares and it about 20mm lower on the drivers side, might be time to do a spring change on the front.