Right rear shock bracket broken -- again!

[WCraigH]

I posted just 3 months ago about the broken right rear shock bracket on my 55 Pat. It was weld repaired at that time and reinstalled. Well, it just broke again along the weld <img src="http://forums.aaca.org/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

This time, I pulled the bracket off my 56 400 parts car. It was good and a different design. Apparently Packard discovered the weakness of the 55 design (right below) and corrected this in 1956 (left below).

[Guest imported_Speedster]

Craig,

Since the shock mounting pad is in a different location (in relation to other mounting bolts), will it fit the '55 okay? From what I can see in the pic, sure looks like that was a bad welding job? I would try for a refund if you paid someone to do it? A weld job like that should have a doubler plate welded on to make it stronger.

[WCraigH]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Since the shock mounting pad is in a different location (in relation to other mounting bolts), will it fit the '55 okay?</div></div>

It fits the 55 shock just fine, BUT I could not get the shock mounting bolt loose from the 56 (too many years of rust welding), so I substituted a 1/2 bolt (to fit the hole in the 56 bracket) and a brass sleeve with 1/2" ID and 5/8" OD to fit the hole in the shock.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A weld job like that should have a doubler plate welded on to make it stronger.</div></div>

That would be a necessary improvement to retain the 55 bracket. However, the 56 design is mechanically stronger. That bracket shows no signs of stress.

[Guest Randy Berger]

If someone at some point of time installed shocks that had less than ten inches of travel, that would put a strain on that bracket also.

[Guest imported_PackardV8]

a few years ago i read somewhere that the 55's had various weak frame brackets. One that i recall is the outrigger body-to-frame/TL rocker bracket directly in front of the rear wheel. So look at your 55 and compare it to the 56 bracket on each side.

[Guest Albert]

have you made sure the shock is not seazed up a little, I found that the bottom of the lower control are broke on one of the 54's, the shock was not moveable, and may have put too much stres on the bottom support.. it also does not look had to fab up with a couple af pieces of angle iron.

[Guest Kevin AZ]

Craig, have the twins from Las Vegas returned and thusly stressed the rear-end of the Patrician?

[Guest Albert]

the 54's lower mount uses both of the ubolts for the lower mount, yours could be easly made using regular angle iron, hardening the mount could make it brittle causing it to break as well.. I could bend up a set from 3/8 plate that would also work..