Firebird Del-A-Lum Rear Leaf Spring Shackle Kit 1967-81 #103SH

Global West Suspension sells Del-A-Lum shackle kits for the Firebird--model years 1967,1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981. These shackle kits are shipped complete with front and rear eyelet bushings, frame bushings, shackles, and related thrust washers, inserts, and hardware. This product can be used for both drag and street applications.

The Global West Advantage: Use Del-A-Lum!

For drag racing applications, there are many traction kits on the market that use a solid type bushing in the front eyelet of the leaf spring and leave rubber or polyurethane in the rear. However, at Global West, we do not recommend using rubber or poly in the shackle for one major reason.

Rubber and polyurethane allow the rear portion of the leaf to walk laterally. If the front bushing is solid mounted, the length of the leaf becomes a long torque arm reacting on the forward leaf spring frame mount. The mount is only held into the frame with three 3/8 bolts. That is a lot of load on the mounts, all trying to control lateral movement!

What’s the solution? Install a Global West Suspension Del-a-lum shackle kit. The bushings do not allow the leaf spring to move laterally, removing the torque effect of the leaf. They also allow a choice of preloading the bushing for decreasing leaf spring movement or running no preload and increasing leaf spring movement.

Del-A-Lum Shackle Kits: A bushing that works like a bearing!

Del-A-Lum bushings are perfect for street, drag and autocross applications. Installation requires the bushing housings to be pressed into the frame and the leaf spring eyelets. Inserts and thrust washers separate the housings and springs from metal-to-metal contact and provide total isolation.

The inserts and thrust washers also provide a bearing surface for the bushing. This design makes the bushings operate similarly to a bearing. Grease fittings are installed and the housing is grooved internally for grease penetration. Del-A-Lum bushings also provide lateral control of the leaf springs.