Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Bobby,

When you have a chance check your email. I have checked with our packard department and they had tried calling you early, but were unable to get hold of you. So they had followed up with an email to you.

I have done some research on the shocks and have the following information available about our shocks.


Collapsed Expanded
delco orig specs 11.182" 19.037"


Kanter's Shocks 11.500" 19.250"

Something to considered is the type of tires that you are running on your Packard. Are you using bias or radial tires? Also what size? As with radial the tread is wider which may cause your clearance issue when removing your tire.

Thanks
James From
Kanter Auto Products

Actually, I did do a back to back comparo with new oil filled Vs. Gas *Blushes*. I know, I have entirely too much time on my hands...

The gas charged does provide superior handling, and there's a noticeable improvement in ride. If you're going to change out the shocks, the gas charged are the way to go, these cars were noted for their smooth, creamy ride and good handling, and the gas shocks most closely approximate that.

I agree that they should not be used with the '55-'56's that came with torsion level, though.

Bobby, it seems we're a bit up in the air on this, did Kanter's ever manage to get ahold of you, and is the problem resolved? And if so, what was the problem?

Kanter gas shock update, and I appreciate the attention:

The car is running std. tires. The shocks are installed properly. The clearance is inadequate.

Unless Kanter makes only one gas shock size for all classic cars, then these shocks are incorrect. It would seem to me that the easiest and best way to handle this situation would be to exchange the shocks.

If I am wrong with this, I'd like to hear about it and why.

I'm kind of curious about post 11. Were specs the same for 51-4?

It would look as if Kanters shocks slightly exceed the travel as listed for original specs. Other than the position of the lower mount, I can't think of any thing else that could be changed that the new wouldn't work. With the previous longer shocks, any chance somehow those mounts were mounted differently to accommodate them?

Howard, if the specs of the replacements indicate they'd work but they do not, that would indicate that the shocks actually sent are incorrect for the '54, and that an error was made. The solution seems pretty straight forward and reasonable, send an exchange.

I'm sure glad this problem is over something relatively straight forward and inexpensive. I'd hate to be on the receiving end of this over something more complicated and/or expensive.

Bobby,

The reason that we have asked for the measurements of the shocks we sent you is because if they measure the same as what i outlined in previous posts then it would be no help to the issue to send another set of shocks that are the same length. In turn you would be doing double the work. We to are trying to make this as easy on you as well as us.

Thanks
James

James,

At the risk of putting too fine a point on this, the problem here is that we're operating on two separate tracks: You're insinuating that the fault must be mine, and I'm saying that the shocks are the incorrect ones for my car. The facts support my situation, and I simply cannot imagine the purpose in publicly antagonizing a customer. This can't be a good thing, and frankly not something I really want to engage in.

Rear shock installation is an easy job, there's a mounting point at the top, and one at the bottom. It's fairly fool proof. Absent some other issue..and there aren't any here....if there's a clearance problem, it must be the result of the wrong shocks being installed. That means you sent the wrong ones, unless all your gas shocks are universal. Are they?

I will obtain the measurements you request, although at this point I am certain the issue is no longer your trying to spare me additional work.

Thank you Bobby for going the extra mile to measure the shocks. I am not insinuating by any means that the issue lies with you or your car. I am going through our standard steps in trying to correct the issue. We are not trying to make any part of this difficult. We need to start with a baseline. That normally entails with having the customer take measurements of the product that they recieved. We then in turn can match these measurements to a sample from stock if they match then we must look at other possible. We strive to correct customer issues as quickly as possible but sending shocks without taking measurements of the ones you already received would not ensure that you wouldn't receive the same shocks again.

Again thank you for taking your time to take measurement.

James From
Kanter Auto Products

Anything larger than an 8.00-15 will not come easily out from under the rear quarter even with the correct shocks. That includes 8.20-15s, or any of the old L78 letter series tires. They all have to be deflated before they come out. Most 235 radials are quite difficult and a premium 235 will hardly come out even deflated.

This is especially true on senior cars on the right side as the track bar pulls the axle over when the axle drops.