At 07:00 PM 4/16/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Recent discussion of replacing the shocks to smooth the bumpy ride
>reminded me of a product I saw on Shade-Tree Mechanic years ago. I can't
>remember the name or manufacturer, but the product was a replacement for
>the leaf-spring hanger. (By "hanger" I mean the thing that connects the
>trailing end of the leaf-spring with the truck frame - I'm not sure what
>the correct name is.)
Shackle.
>Anyway, this device was a spring loaded deal, shaped
>like a ">" (greater than sign) that flexed at the joint in the middle.
>
>I believe they put a set of these things on a Ram and claimed that it
>helped smooth out the ride at highway speeds. I would be interested in
>trying these things. The rear of my truck frequently makes an
>unnerving leap to the side when I hit minor bumps on the highway,
>especially with an empty bed.
>
>Is this a common behavior for pickups? Does anyone know the product which
>I am referring to?
>
>Thanks in advance!
>John Youngblood
>Black 97 CC 318 3.55 5spd / FABM / Dynomax Race Magnum
They're called Velvet-Ride shackles. They're made by BF Goodrich (I think
they came out of the aerospace division, oddly enough). From what I
understand, they're designed mostly for full-size trucks. I'm not sure
exactly how they work or how much they help, but I've read good things about
them.
I seem to recall reading something a while ago that the two-piece hinged
design lets them smooth out the ride when the bed is empty, and then firm up
when the bed is loaded down. Don't quote me on that part, though.
Four Wheeler's April 98 issue (the most recent one I have) has an article
about a Ram that they installed a set of these on along with some other
upgrades. If you're interested, here's the contact info they printed for BFG:
BF Goodrich
Dept. FW
6061 BF Goodrich Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL
32226-3409
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