Rear Spring Shackle Doesnt Feel Tight Enough

[BashawT]

Hey everyone

I installed the rear spring today onto the frame and rear end and I just have a question about the spring shackles. Les Andrews Vol. 1 says to tighten shackle nuts just enough to line up with the cotter pin holes. However, the nuts aren't even tight. I can still loosen them with my fingers.

Any ideas? Do I need to order extra shackle bars to get rid of the slack? I remember the old shackles only had one but these are new repro shackles.

Thanks anyone for input. As always it's greatly appreciated!

[d.j. moordigian]

Is there/should be a stop on the shackle......for the bar to stop when the
nut is tight. Uhhh....you could use a lock washer.

[BashawT]

Originally Posted by d.j. moordigian

Is there/should be a stop on the shackle......for the bar to stop when the
nut is tight. Uhhh....you could use a lock washer.

Yea I thought about using a lock washer too, I just wanted to get some ideas off the forum before acting. Thanks

[Tom Endy]

My method of installation is to tighten the nuts down hard to be sure the shackle is pulled up all the way into the sleeve, then back them off slightly so that the sleeve will pivot on the shackle. Otherwise if the nuts are extremely tight and there is no rotation you won't have proper spring action. Over time there has probably been metal worn away from the ends of the shackle sleeves, that is why the castles in the nuts are below the holes in the shackles.

The nuts also vary with the reproductions. Some shackle sets are 5\8" hex, others are 11\16" hex. The thickness of the nuts is probably not correct either. Lock wahsers to take up the space won't hurt as long as you don't have the nuts tight.

The cross arms also probably vary in thickness depending on the reproduction mfg.

Tom Endy