Sulastic shackles

[Stuff]

Well, I got the Sulastic shackles installed today... and... I have mixed feelings about them.

First of all, the question of the day, do they help with freeway harmonics... short answer yes, long answer, yes but not everywhere.

I had them installed at Big John's Performance Tire Pro's in Valencia California, by Magic Mountain. They was a post recommending them on this board, and they were the closest Sulastic gold dealer to me, so I went ahead and they seem to me after one visit to be a quality shop, but they need a shop twice the size with three times the parking spots. Total cost for those considering it: 634.19 with tax and installation. Kinda steep...

After getting installed, I took the 5 south to the 405 south to the 101 west out here to Ventura Toyota to get my oil changed and get my truck checked for the recall. For most of the ride, no shaking, not even a little. The only place I hit significant shaking harmonics was from the base of the Camarillo hill to the east to about Rose ave in Oxnard to the west.

Good news: That's a relatively small area to have a harmonics problem.
Bad news: That's pretty much my commute.
Good news: I'm moving soon.
Bad news: That doesn't help those near Camarillo.

There was a little shaking in the Thousand Oaks area, but it was relatively minor.

I'm curious though to see how much it has helped elsewhere in Socal... anyone want a test ride? I've got a week free.

[Burger Steak & Eggs]

I bought a set for my Gen 1. Complete waste of money. No noticeable improvement in ride quality. I had the old BFG Velvet Rides in other trucks and the BFG did take the edge off the ride harshness. Not so with the Sulastic.

[RitcheyRch]

Always wondered if those things would work or not.

[GeePee]

I just had them installed. They only reduce about 30% of the bounce...not worth the price tag in my opinion.

[GeePee]

I also had the Willybar installed too, another not so good idea. Also, only a 30% improvement overall. The best results I have seen are from '3' 50lbs. weights stacked in a box located in the center in front of the lift gate. This worked great and almost totally reduced bed bounce. The only problem is that you can't access the bed from the back end.

[DevinSixtySeven]

Interesting idea.

It seems like it would work out almost like having a dual rate spring back there...but it comes back around to having the correct spring rate in the first place, which means matched to the load. You can get a progressive pack from a couple different places, for 500-600$.

I noticed in another thread the comments from the Sulastic report about the frame's resonant frequency...great information. Also makes me wonder, if you were to cage a 2nd-gen...assume for a moment a weightless cage...and leave everything else untouched (ie you'd stiffen the chassis, so raising the resonant frequency), if you'd find that the rear end would actually buck off the ground until you loaded it. I've seen 1-ton duallies do something similar over speed bumps, even moving slow...it quieted down substantially when we added 1200# of ammunition to the bed, too.

The Willybar is a similar idea...make the truck ride smooth by adding some of the weight the manufacturer assumed would be in the bed.

I just yanked the bed, back seat, belly skid and transfer case skid...the truck's gotta be at least 700# lighter, so now I have the same situation you guys do (presumably with a different resonant frequency at the frame).

-Sean

[apimpdad]

Sooooo do these shackles supposedly cure bed bounce or what??? I'm too lazy to find a website to look them up.

[TruckGuy70]

I recently bought the Willybar for my 2007 Toyota Tundra and it works great! You mentioned you had the shackles and 300lbs and it seems that would be the best combination, but how can 3 (50lbs) weights in a box be better? Is your calculator malfunctioning????

[TruckGuy70]

I recently bought the Willybar for my 2007 Toyota Tundra and it works great! You mentioned you had the shackles and 300lbs and it seems that would be the best combination, but how can 3 (50lbs) weights in a box be better? Is your calculator malfunctioning????