Shackles
If you have worn-out shackles, it’s time to bolt in new ones, and motivation to do so will come to you in the form of inches. In last month’s no-hassle shackle installation story we used ones 1-inch longer than stock and gained 1/2 inch of lift, although shackles are available 1 to 5 inches longer than stock for even more height. At a couple inches of lift from longer shackles won’t risk stretching or breaking components or throwing off the alignment. There are also flip-type shackles--basically the shackle gets turned upside down--that can net you up to 8 inches of lift at the rear. But keep in mind that it’ll cost you to bring the front end up to speed, and you’ll probably kiss your pinion angle and driveshaft fitment good-bye with that much air. Check out "Chevy Shackle Flip" in the Sept. 1997 issue for details on doing this the right way.