Removing shocks from 733 sedan

[34PackardRoadsta]

Dear All,

Back with another. I need to remove my shocks. To do this, I need to get the linkage from shock to frame disconnected. Is there a trick to this? I removed the nuts and try to pry apart the linkage, and it is a no-go. It looks like it might be some sort of pressed fitting. Do I need some sort of puller? Am I just being too gentle?

Thanks,

Tom

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Well it seems that no one has a special tool for removing shock ball-joints, that they want to tell us about.

The way I do it is soak them in PB-Blaster a few days and use a large C-clamp, hooked over frame, to press them out. That is difficult to do and if it is really stuck then you may need to use a softhead hammer to tap it out. I use a brass head hammer. Tap on the nut not the threaded shaft.

Any type of wedge joint-removal tool, such has a picklefork, will damage the arm and any of the press-out joint tools, that I know about, will not fit.

As for removing the arm from the shock, I've never done that, since I didn't need to. I've only removed arm from frame and shock from diff-housing.

If you replace the oil inside the shocks be sure to operate the arm repeatedly to get out any air bubbles in chamber and then put in more oil. The shock can Not be completely full of oil or it will Lockup and the arm will not move. It needs some air in it.

[Guest imported_Speedster]

The rear shocks on my 645 had a special expansion chamber mounted in place of the fill plug, that I've not seen on any other car. I don't know if they are original or aftermarket. I think they were there to allow the shocks to be filled more completely while allowing for expansion. They have a removable cover for putting in more oil.

They are made from pot-metal and one was damaged, so I didn't put them back on.

[34PackardRoadsta]

Rick,

Thanks tons for the answer. So the kind of fitting is called a 'press-out joint'?

My shocks don't have the 'expansion' chamber. What you see in the photo is the same for all 4.

Cheers,

Tom

[Guest imported_Speedster]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 34PackardRoadsta</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> So the kind of fitting is called a 'press-out joint'? </div></div>

I think the correct name is just a 'ball-joint'.

They have a tapered (cone-shaped) shaft, like suspension and steering ball-joints on modern cars. The cone shape of shaft and seat locks them together when tightened, so shaft won't turn in seat (wedged together).

[Owen_Dyneto]

I'm not all that familiar with your particular shock, but normally you don't remove the forged arm from the shock unit, you remove the end link from the frame and then remove the shock unit intact from the axle housing, leaving the forged arm in place. But if you wanted to remove it, is there enough space below the rod eye for a simple two-jawed gear puller?

[34PackardRoadsta]

Owen_D,

It is in removing the linkage that I am having the difficulty. The only photo I have is of the shock unit itself.

I think I have a solution, involving a gear puller (as you mentioned), a c-clamp (as Rick mentioned) to keep gear puller jaws tight, liberal application of PB blaster, MAPP torch, socket wrench, and bloody knuckles (I think I have left more skin on the car then I currently have on my body).

Using the above tools, I have removed one shock! They are really quite stuck on that tapered shaft. The second front shock is currently having a PB bath for the night, and hopefully it will release tomorrow.

Thanks again for your help.

Tom

[Owen_Dyneto]

Such are the joys and rewards of this hobby. Makes good fodder for story-telling (and occasionally embellishing) over the winter months. Still, I'd rather be there removing your shocks than replacing valve guides in the later straight eights!!

[34PackardRoadsta]

Well, that one shock was pretty much the end of my success. The next one I finally got off by removing the fender bracket with the linkage attached. I guess I will just send the whole thing.

Unfortunately, I don't think the good folks at the shock place would be pleased if I sent them the entire back end of the car, and that is what it appears I need to do.

So, anyone out there ever successfully removed the Houdaille shocks from a late 20s, early 30s Packard? If so, how did you do it without completely disassembling the rear end of the car? I mean, I have to imagine that replacing shocks was a normal service item. Certainly they did not pull the gas tank, wheels, fenders, and interior to get these things off.

There is no room, without said disassembly, to get a gear puller anywhere near the linkage. Not that a gear puller is going to do me much good.

Thanks,

Tom

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Yes, I did a frame-off restoration on both my '29s, so I had all that removed, when removing shocks. They were the last things I removed from chassis. (I didn't remove the suspension tho)

I think it's impossible to do rear ones with the gas-tank still installed.

So, I had plenty of 'Banging and Pressing' room, and I did a Lot of it.

I don't remember the exact procedure, but as mentioned before I mainly used a large C-clamp and a brass headed hammer, and of course PB-blaster. I do remember that I did a lot of taping on the frame, above and below the joint to loosen it, while pressing on the ball-joint nut with the clamp.

I don't remember having any problem pressing the front ones loose it was only the rears that were very difficult, since none of my puller tools would fit over frame and stay in place.

[34PackardRoadsta]

Dear All,

My brother and I got the shocks off! We did have to drop the fuel tank for the back shocks. And I did remove the fender bracket for the front one, and then we just did a LOT OF POUNDING. But they are off.

There are a couple of funny (at least to me) short movies at the end of my blog about the day:

http://www.packardpaddock.com/Packard_Paddock/The_Paddock_Tribune/Entries/2008/4/26_Friggin_Shocks_Off!.html

Thanks for the help.

Tom