This is sorta wrong..
When your adding the full 3" lift them its not a PML.. Because your adding $400
in UCAs to give it the lift. The Poor mans lift is based on 1.5" of lift with just rear shackles and cranking the T bars..
Yes the PML is part of the full lift, But I feel like your telling noobs that these are 2 different things.
Full lift can be:
Front: UCA, crank T bars for the full 3"s (Some add stronger T bars)
Rear:
1. Shackles and a AAL (Add a leaf)
2. Full rear pack..
There are more options...
There is more to this but I figured noobs will look at the SL area on CX.
I think there is a misunderstanding with what I was saying...I don't see where I went wrong.
I started with a PML with adjustable shackle. This is stock UCAs and adjustable shackle set to 1.5" (2nd to last hole). That is how much shackle you have to get caught on. In my opinion, not enough to do any real damage here. More of an eye sore. I rocked this lift for a few months while saving for UCAs to finish the lift. The rake in the pic is about the same rake my stock X had. ~1.5" lower in the front.
I'll explain my logical reasoning here...
By your own admission, and as seen on 4x4parts.com...the single AAL, and the AAL pack adds 3" to the rear on its on.
If you do your PML and add 1.5" of height with a shackle...and 1.5" with stock UCAs, your rake is the same (1.5")
If you decide to go higher, you need UCAs to get another 1.5" in the front. You then add a leaf pack which is 3" on its on. You now have 3" in the front and 4.5" in the rear, adding 1.5" to your rake (3" total), making it less leveled. You then have to go back to stock shackles (wasting 65 bucks on shackles, 1.5" rake). Or you need to shell out a couple hundred on revolvers to try and restore some flex that you lost by adding stiffness to your springs (revolvers add 0.75"...so 2.25" total rake). More wasted money. more downward rake.
If you prefer a more leveled look (not completely level), as the original poster stated he had already leveled his truck without shackles, the above does not make sense, to me. His stock UCAs are nearly maxed out, and adding any shackle to the rear will increase the rake.
So, following the path I took:
Buy adjustable shackles...install them on the 2nd to last hole (1.5", same as normal PML, or 1" setting etc). Crank your stock t bars / UCAs to 1.5". See how your rake sits. not happy with your rake? want to go higher?
Buy UCAs. Install them, lift the front 1.5" more for a total of 3". Max the shackle out to 2 1/8" total lift. Lifting the front 3" inches and the rear 2 1/8" REMOVES 7/8" from your rake (~5/8" total rake), letting you have more lift than your original PML....but still reducing the rake!
I am not saying a PML is an adjustable shackle and UCAs. I am saying you can do a PML with the adjustable shackle....and if you want to go higher with UCAs...you can still remain leveled without getting rid of your shackles or buying revolvers, which to me would be wasted money.
Its really not tough to adjust the shackle and you don't really go back and forth. I installed them at 1.5" and left them for a few months until I had UCAs. I installed UCAs, re indexed torsion bars, and took the bolt out, lifted the truck with a jack, put the bolt back in. Its not an adjustment on the go or anything...you are already tackling the front end, the adjustable shackles will be the easiest thing you do on the day you install UCAs.
Anyway, I hope that clarified. I think the adjustable shackles ONLY downside is you have a tiny bit hanging off the end...which to me is not going to get you stuck. It is an eye sore though. It can be fixed by adding UCAs in the future, which has no downsides at all. No increased stiffness in the pack, no 3 inch rake, great flex, etc.
Bad pic since it was dark, but BL + UCAs + Adjustable shackle + 32s:
My advice summarized for original post: Decide your tolerance for a downward rake, and determine if it is remotely possible to get UCAs in your future. That answers your question as far as which shackle to get.
If you want a leveled look, and you absolutely DO NOT WANT UCAs, leave it as is. Adding any shackle to the rear will un-level your stance without the UCAs.
If you want a leveled look, and think that you may eventually get UCAs, get the adjustable shackle.
If you decide you don't care about the leveled look, and you absolutely DO NOT WANT UCAs, get the regular PML shackle.
If you decide you don't care about the leveled look, are OK with stock rake of ~1.5", and think that you may eventually get UCAs, and are OK with making your rear springs stiffer, skip the shackle, get the AAL pack and the UCAs.
If you REALLLY don't care about the rake, and think that you may eventually get UCAs, do your PML with the shackle, add a leaf pack, and UCAs later. Rake of ~3 inches or so.
The point is...think ahead regarding your suspension lift. If you think you will ever go higher than a PML, you should skip the regular shackle all together and just start $aving for UCAs. Your desired rake and flexibility determines whether you do AAL in the rear (stock rake, stiff springs) or a taller adjustable shackle (smaller rake, greater flexibility, but lower overall height in the rear)