School me on Hangers & Shackles

Tried a few different searches for hangars in 2nd & 3rd gen forum, only found exhaust hangar stuff.

My ignorance of leaf spring suspension begins at the hangar/shackle. My current setup is Dobinson 111 leafs with stock hangar & shackles. I would like some more droop without having to give up ride height, though I suspect my 5160 shocks will be the limiting factor. It seems that hangars can allow for more droop travel and also soften ride on rough off road and on road but I don't understand why/how that is the case so here I am. Most of my off road use is rough forest road/2-track at speed (not doing 45, just not rolling at idle either), not slow crawling rocks often but occasionally find a hole/stump garden/etc to get through.

So, school me on what aftermarket hangars and shackles do and how they do it. Diagrams of spring/axle/shackle geometry are welcome, MS Paint is always fun!

Thanks for any info/knowledge you can provide.

 

You can get those benefits from a shackle upgrade alone. Replacing the hangers stiffens up the feel but the added droop will come from removing that loaded stock shackle..

Our hangers are a beefed up stock replacement but not necessary to get better articulation.
https://www.bayareametalfab.com/2005-2021-Toyota-Tacoma-HD-Shackle-Hanger_p_82.html

 

Dont think 3rd gen can really swap shackles yet, they are a bit of a unique design.

*EDIT
Disregard, I am misinformed!

 

So the part that bolts to the frame is the shackle and the part that swings with the leaf is the hangar? I had those backwards in my head.

 

subbed

 

Im likely incorrect then, I just thought something was odd about them and you couldnt really do longer shackles with a 3rd gen compared to older tacos.

 

They are? Visually the look identical but I didn't measure anything.

 

https://archivegarage.com/explore-archive/ols/products/tacoma-hammer-hangers
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-hammer-hangers-soa-sua-archive-garage.519625/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bamf-hd-shackle-hangers.496200/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/hammer-hanger-vs-bamf-hanger.561971/

 

No The the hanger bolts to the frame the shackle attaches to the leaf spring.

 

They are inverted, longer shackles will lower the truck on the 2nd and 3rd gen. the 1st gens had standard shackles so you can so shackle lifts with those.

 

So I searched for "hangar", like the place where airplanes live, instead of "hanger" like the thing that I wanted to find.

Thanks for that. I'll fix my thread title so others, less dumb than I, can find it in the future.

 

OK, good. I was just not following you when I read your post.

Interesting (and obvious when you look at it). I wouldn't mind losing a bit of the lift that the 111 springs gave. What would a longer shackle do for the rest of the way the suspension works? Does it increase loads on the spring or hangar?

 

I searched one time for beebs instead of boobs. Results were horrible.

 

This is what it was then, thanks for clearing that up!

Also sending you a PM......

 

We don't make a longer one and I'm not even sure you could clear a that much longer shackle in the stock hanger. That's why you can't find them online no one is really lowering non 5 lug Tacomas.

 

Makes sense. So shackles like the BAMF are stock dimensions and fit but heavier duty with poly bushings? When installing the leafs I thought about the ability to push out the stock shackle bushes and install some poly bushes but didn't spend much time with that thought since I had no parts to try it with and for $90, some HD and ready to go shackles seems like a no brainer.

 

Correct they are made from thicker material and have Poly bushings. You could burn out the factory ones and replace with Poly but we priced ours to help sway your decision towards a aftermarket replacement.