Original Cj-5 Shackles: U-bolts Vs Plates

AFAIK you'd only have the holes in the frame with the reversed shackles. With forward-facing shackles, the hanger is applied under the rail of the frame, front and back.

 

It seems likely to me that CJ5’s went to conventional shackles when they decided to get away from the reversed front shackles.
The timeline on those part number changes certainly seems to coincide.

 

If it was a '56, it was.

 

My early export 57 hasn’t reversed front shackles.
I will open a new post with pics as there is a salad to be fixed and go back to stock.

 

In researching my spring and shackle situation, I found this thread and still need some guidance....

1956 CJ5 with nearly flat springs and needing new shocks...

I currently have 5 leaf front and 9 leaf rear springs. The rears also have an, aftermarket I assume, 5 leaf "helper" spring pack above the axle on each side.

My front mounting points all around are all non-greasable pivots.

The rear mounting points all use open C-shackels that I assume are left hand thread for the driver side and right hand thread for the passenger side.

I assume by the leaf count up front and the "helpers" in the rear along with the non-greaseable pivots that a PO has done some work in the past...

Wanting to keep this as close to stock as possible, my question is do I go with 10 leaf fronts, and 9 rears as replacements with appropriate C-shackles and non-greaseable pivots as it currently stands? Or, do I do the 10/9 spring packs, C-shackles and got to greaseable pivots?

I don't hate, but don't necessarily want to go with the later/newer type shackle.

Here's a pick of the "helper" set up for anyone who might be interested