28 president 8, another question.

[Guest maudsley]

I am not referring to the early Monroe shock absorbers,(cylinder type) , but the other body stabilizer that looks like a lever type shock attached to the body by a sturdy strap, similiar to the door straps. 1. What do you call it?, and 2, what material are the straps made from, and can I find any for the doors, need 4? Would those be the houdaille(Houdini) shocks?

Thanks,

I have only a original President FA Owners Manual. That tells me more than my chevy truck owners manual, but not enough not to ask alot of questions and I really have not really begun yet. If any of you gents have a repair manual or a parts book that will cover this "redheaded stepchild of a President FA" and would be willing to sell it, or trade it , or anything like that, don't be bashful.

One of our most knowledgeable(it seems to me anyway) members sent me a cd with lots of tech info which is very helpful and it is greatly appreciated.

[Mark Huston]

I have a copy of the "Preliminary Service Manual for the President Eight" which covers the first version of the President Eight with the front mounted water pump.

[Guest stude8]

Here are some graphic pages on how to repair Houdaille shocks. I have a few more from a tool set service book if these don't show enough of just how to get the shocks apart.

A good internal cleanout, new leather ring washer under cover on the arm shaft and the correct NON Petroleum oil fluid will get the hydraulics back in order again. The only correct Houdaille fluid is CASTOR OIL base, that is non-sensitive to ambient temperature variations.

Most Houdailles over the years had some mechanic add motor oil to them which causes the fluids to congeal and all hydraulic action fails afterward.

Another important detail is the shaft rotation can be either Clockwise (arm points rearward) or Counter clockwise (arm points forward) depending on which way the arm faces when viewed from the side of vehicle being worked on. Houdailles had a system of 5 point star codes stamped in the flange that indicated CW or CCW position on a car.

KEEP THE SAME ARM with the same body and mark them Left Frt, Left Rear etc so they go back where they came off.

Stude8

[Guest stude8]

Here is a good exploded view of a Houdaille shock disassembled from a K. R. Wilson service manual. While there are variations with and with-out the seasonal needle valve adjustment the basics are clearly shown in this drawing.

Stude8