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Has anyone discovered a metal rod ( pin ) inside the dog bone on the oil side of the front shackle of 9th Series cars ? See photo attached. I suspect this is a metering device to slow down the oil flow from the Bijur system so some oil stays in the upper shackle bolt. The pin is cut to about 23 degrees on each end.

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  Dog Bone with meter.jpg (291.12 KB)

Yes, I'm aware of it and have made the same assumption as you as to its purpose though I've not found mention of it in the Bijur manuals.

Further update on my 9th series front spring. That pin ( or metering device ) is not shown on any Packard parts book that I am aware of, it may have been a one year thing but I understand it is not present on 10th series cars, so if it was more of an experiment, then it failed and that is likely why it was no longer used. Attached photo of lower shackle bronze bushing that was worn completely through likely do to lack of lubrication from the Bijur system possibly caused by this device. I have removed the device installed new bolts and bushings (from Bruce Blevins) and re-arced spring (from Eaton) and now the car sits level again. I will investigate the passenger side for similar issues. Bruce says he has never seen that pin before either.

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  Bushing and pin 9th series.jpg (159.89 KB)

I recently renovated the Bijur system on a 6th series car and it had similar pins (beveled tip and all) about 3 inches long on both sides of the front axle. Like you, I'm not sure what purpose they served.
John Wogec

I recently renovated the Bijur system on a 6th series car and it had similar pins (beveled tip and all) about 3 inches long on both sides of the front axle. Like you, I'm not sure what purpose they served.
John Wogec

There are pins like that in the brake pivot arms as well. On the hand pump cars pulling the handle multiple times will start a lot of flow. I always assumed those pins reduced the amount of oil required to supply the lower parts. If the hand pump puts out a fixed volume lower than that of those channels nothing will reach the lower parts as the oil will sit around in empty space. On the automatic systems that was less of a problem because the pump was in continuous operation. That is of course until it broke. The hand pumps never broke. At least that I can remember. Once I saw the little pedal in the Rolls Cloud I which still had the Bijur and pushed it. Soon there was oil dripping on the floor. The hand pump system was great except that it didn't use an extreme pressure lubricant which chassis parts need (bronze is not a good material for EP lubricants). Packard would have done better to use a mileage driven automatic pump the same way as Duesenberg.