[FLynes]

Jim,

I may defend our country, but it's people like you who make our country great. I think that, unfortunately, many people don't believe that we're a great country, but I will believe it until my last breath is drawn; it's the reason I gave up a four-year scholarship to Syracuse University and joined the Army on 16JAN91, the day after Desert Storm started...pissed my Mother off but made my Father proud and continued a tradition in our family, dating back to the Revolution.

You can bet that, when the time comes, I will be buying the parts I need from you.

Thank you.

Fred

[cjdogtoy]

Jim, I'm glad to see your saying busy. I've been out sick for a while but now I'm back the new shackles look great and I like the new display photo. as always keep up the good work. I know well the risks of self employment and agree that I don't think I could go back to a time clock.

[Jim1611]

Originally Posted by FLynes

Jim,

I may defend our country, but it's people like you who make our country great. I think that, unfortunately, many people don't believe that we're a great country, but I will believe it until my last breath is drawn; it's the reason I gave up a four-year scholarship to Syracuse University and joined the Army on 16JAN91, the day after Desert Storm started...pissed my Mother off but made my Father proud and continued a tradition in our family, dating back to the Revolution.

You can bet that, when the time comes, I will be buying the parts I need from you.

Thank you.

Fred

Hi Fred
You have some rich family history in our military to be proud of!! As to people like me making this a great country. I have never felt that way about myself. I'm just a guy trying to make a living and using what I have to do so. I feel the same as you do about this being a great nation. People like yourself over the years that have given up a part of their lives, some gave it all, so that we can have what we so often take for granted by just being citizens of the United States. Much has been granted to us by our Creator and for that I think much is expected.

Thanks for the kind words Fred. There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about our soldiers that are in harms way. Some on this very day may not live long enough to pursue the dreams that those of have that several years have been able to do. In some way I feel guilty that they are away from family and friends and I am not. I don't always agree with the politics that send our troops into harms way and often question the motives of those that sit in a safe warm office in D.C. and seem to disregard our military as something of a bother but I will support our soldiers in as many ways as I can.

Didn't mean to derail the thread and turn it into something other than working on a worn out old CJ but most everything is more important than my hobbies.

Thanks again Fred and you have a great day.

Originally Posted by cjdogtoy

Jim, I'm glad to see your saying busy. I've been out sick for a while but now I'm back the new shackles look great and I like the new display photo. as always keep up the good work. I know well the risks of self employment and agree that I don't think I could go back to a time clock.

Glad to hear that you're feeling better.

Thanks, I too am glad to be busy. Sometimes I wonder if anyone would even hire me if I had to quit working for myself. It sure would be a tough thing for me! The older I get and the longer I work like this I think it would be a very hard change to make.

[Jim1611]

I got started today on the spring shackles that will be sold with the YJ conversion Kit. They're made from 3/8" thick steel with 1/2" lift. They will be sold without a finish just the same as the hangers are. Might add additional lengths as time and demand dictate and will definately be making these for CJ springs too.

Also thought I'd show you what happened to my deer stand a while back when a tornado passed by. Went and took a look at it yesterday to see what I need to fix.

[W_A_Watson_II]

Jim,

Looking good! Ouch on the Der stand. My brothers is very similar, but has wheels and a tong so he can move it with the side by side as hunting/weather dictates.

Will

[Avon_JeepMan]

Did more work on the front brake project for my CJ7. There sure seems to be a lot of different thread sized used on brake components. Funny how us Americans do not standardize on anything and just keep reinventing the wheel (or in this case, the assembly used to stop the wheels).

[BioTex]

Jim,
What are your thought on the boomerang style shackles? Would they soften up a suspension? I'm not smart enough to figure out the math, but just my instinct tells me this would be a better shackle choice for a CJ. Besides, I like the look

[Jim1611]

Originally Posted by W_A_Watson_II

Jim,

Looking good! Ouch on the Der stand. My brothers is very similar, but has wheels and a tong so he can move it with the side by side as hunting/weather dictates.

Will

Thanks Will!
I figure it'll be a good time to change it a little when I bring it in to fix it. Need to make it bigger, didn't have grandkids when I made it several years ago but do now and one of the boys loves to hunt.

Originally Posted by BioTex

Jim,
What are your thought on the boomerang style shackles? Would they soften up a suspension? I'm not smart enough to figure out the math, but just my instinct tells me this would be a better shackle choice for a CJ. Besides, I like the look

I was thinking about the boomerang shackles yesterday Eric. I probably will offer them for sale too. I think the main purpose behind them is to allow the spring to flex more on the YJ's. If you guys want to run them on CJ's I'll make them though. One very good thing they would do is to keep the shackle from overcentering and getting stuck. I'm not sure if the CJ springs will go that far but the YJ ones will.

Thanks for asking.

[BioTex]

Originally Posted by Jim1611

Thanks Will!
I figure it'll be a good time to change it a little when I bring it in to fix it. Need to make it bigger, didn't have grandkids when I made it several years ago but do now and one of the boys loves to hunt.



I was thinking about the boomerang shackles yesterday Eric. I probably will offer them for sale too. I think the main purpose behind them is to allow the spring to flex more on the YJ's. If you guys want to run them on CJ's I'll make them though. One very good thing they would do is to keep the shackle from overcentering and getting stuck. I'm not sure if the CJ springs will go that far but the YJ ones will.

Thanks for asking.

Jim,
I agree. I'm going to go this route when I swap YJ springs onto my CJ, so you might as well plan on making them...

[cjdogtoy]

put me down for a pair to, if I can ever dig out of the hole.

[243]

Jim,

I had to clearance my front crossmember slightly to clear the shackles I made using 3/8" plate. I am not sure if aftermarket shackles use 1/4" or 3/8" steel but I don't recall anyone posting about the interference. I will see if I can find a picture where I clearanced the crossmember.

[Jim1611]

Originally Posted by 243

Jim,

I had to clearance my front crossmember slightly to clear the shackles I made using 3/8" plate. I am not sure if aftermarket shackles use 1/4" or 3/8" steel but I don't recall anyone posting about the interference. I will see if I can find a picture where I clearanced the crossmember.

Hi Dave
I don't have a picture handy but it seems like the factory shackles had a notch cut in them, the CJ ones that is. The picture here is actually what would go on a YJ, I'm going to branch out some with these and start posting in the YJ section on the forum.

I think the CJ shackles need to be made from 1 1/2" wide material instead of the 2" I used on these. CJ shackles are shorter so there won't be as much need to worry about them bending like the longer YJ shackles. I'm thinking a 1" longer distance between the bolts is as long as they need to be made, and also the stock length.

Thanks Dave.

[243]

YJ shackles will be wider so there should not be a problem. Here is the photo showing where I had an interference with the 3/8" side plates.

[Jim1611]

Originally Posted by 243

YJ shackles will be wider so there should not be a problem. Here is the photo showing where I had an interference with the 3/8" side plates.

I think I know how to take care of that Dave, I'll have some installed pictures in a day or two. Thanks for the picture.

[mjfitz99]

Originally Posted by Jeepican

Tired of not knowing when you update...so i subscribe

I keep missing it too, so now I can't miss it!