The shims that came with my Groundforce shackles are aluminum.

 

For you guys who have already installed your shackles, are there any special tools required? And for the guys who did it themself, how did the overall installation go?

I'll be ordering a set of Groundforce's for my soon-to-be-ordered F-150, and intend to install them myself. I have the normal collection of "shade tree mechanic" tools -- floor jack, jack stands, pneumatic wrenches, etc.

Am I good to go?

 

i used a blowtorch to heat the red thread locker on the factory shackle bolts, they just spun right off after that. installation is maybe 30 mins to an hour.

 

I would say 1/2 to 1 hr sounds right. If you have any mechanical skills at all it won't be difficult and the tools you have are fine. The shackles come with install instructions. I didn't use any heat and was able to take the nuts off using hand wrenches (11/16 and 13/16). I think playing with the jacks and stands was the most time consuming part. It comes down to getting the weight off the shackles and removing 2 bolts.

 

I didn't need any heat either, and I agree.....Getting the tools out, playing the jack and stand games and cleaning up took longer than the install itself.

Just make sure you grease up the bushings on the new shackles really good, as per the instructions.

On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd say it's about a 3

 

it will come off without heat, true, but its so much easier with the threadlocker disabled, then it just spins right off with your hand (in a glove). by the time you get it off with a pair of wrenches, ive got it back together already. im not arguing, just saying that the blow torch helps a lot, with anything that has threadlocker

 

I just installed Ground Force shackles on mine. I did the shims and all. The truck rides like a dream now. I don't feel like I'm going everywhere nose down now

 

Yup, had to do the same thing with my Belltech 2" shackles. I ended up notching it with an angle cutter and prime and painting the area. works great......

 

No problems like that with my Ground Force 2" drop shackles. Ground Force is definitely the way to go. They make a quality kit which includes the shackles. Heck, Ford Racing Perfomance Parts sells the same kit under their name so it must be good!

 

do you have a driveline vibration? I'm about to install my Belltechs and would love to not have to buy a set of shims...

 

I haven't noticed any driveline vibrations with the two inch shackles. I read on here most people did not have a problem, cause it's a minor drop, so I didn't put them in. I would say you could try it out, my drop has been on for a year or two and I haven't had any problems.

 

I've noticed that most of the trucks that have vibrations afterwards with shackles are usually trucks that have two piece driveshafts. I haven't read or heard much from the regular cab and Supercrew bunch regarding vibrations after installing shackles.

 

sorry for being ignorant. But the Scab has a two piece driveshaft? I havent looked under there. I drive an 04 Scab. You think I'll have a problem with the driveline vibration? Thanks

 

I have an 04 SCAB and I got a very slight vibe when I put on my Ground Force 2" shackles without the shims. So I just popped in the shims and no more vibe. It's a crap shoot whether you will get a vibe or not. That's why it's best to use a kit that includes them.

 

Wow, a blast from the past. I was surprised to see the thread I started 7 or 8 mos ago show up again.

I wound up removing the shackles because I couldn't get rid of the vibe no matter what I did with shims. Search for "removed lowering shackles" in the 2004-2006 f150 section if you are interested in the details. Mine is a 2wd SCab with a 2 piece shaft.