Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Keith: Air shocks in the rear will change the spring rate the same as air bags on the front. This is NOT a proper solution. I'll grant you that the front end would raise up with the leveler.

HH56: The range of motion will be limited by the existing bump stops. The mid-position between bump stops is probably where the stock original ride height is located. If one or the other bump stop is shaved, then the range of motion would increase correspondingly (some 1.+ multiple). Anyone who would drive a T-L Packard on the street with zero clearance between top or bottom stop is loony. That position should be reserved for shows.

As I see it, typical use for this mod in normal driving would be to raise a fully-loaded vehicle (6 adult passengers and trunk full of luggage) back to it's original ride height (frame to ground). The standard T-L just levels the car under that load, but it is LOWER to the ground than should be.

At a show, one could wow the onlookers with teeter-totter movement and then up/down movement after re-level.

The modified front struts with integral hydraulic cylinders could also allow some static threaded adjustment to compensate for left-right tilt.

Craig

Makes sense to me, drop it to the weeds at shows, and still have the normal suspension travel. I DO think a "well" added in the bottom of the lower control arm would give you 2" or so extra clearance to allow a longer cylinder.

Eric: The approx distance from the struct C/L to the outer edge of the shock is 2-1/2", which is the constraint on cylinder diameter (5" OD).

The problem I see with a pancake cylinder under the strut pad is that you have to modify the lower control arm. A modified strut with built-in cylinder allows the use of all other stock components.

I'm sure someone makes an appropriate size hydraulic cylinder that will push 1,000lb. For instance, 2in ID needs 160psi for 1,000lb -- which is virtually nothing as far as hydraulic systems are concerned.

Craig

I understand that, but think about it for a minute. You replace the link with a cylinder. How tall is that cylinder going to be, in it's retracted position? You want to drop the car to the weeds, therefore, the retracted length needs to be LESS than the length of the stock link, otherwise, you won't have any drop, it will only raise the car. Therefore, my suggestion of the pancake cylinder. It's shorter, but it will only give enough lift to basically double it's height, so it needs to be set down into the lower arm to allow you to have a couple inches more lift, you can use a smaller diameter cylinder and a 2" taller cylinder, so if you have a 4" cylinder that is 7" overall extended length, when it's retracted, it's more like a 2" load link instead of a 4" (basically stock) The 7" extended length would basically be a 5" length, with the 2" "in the hole" so to speak, and would be about the same length of the stock load link.

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Eric: The link is NOT replaced with a cylinder. See this:</p>
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<img src="http://www.1956packardpanther.com/Adjustable_TorsionLevel_link1.jpg">
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<p>The links are 4-5" long (straight cylindrical part). A 3" hydraulic cylinder will have a variable length of approx zero to 2-1/2" and allow 1/2-1" studs on each end. The equivalent variable length would be 2-3/4" to 5-1/4" (4" +- 1-1/4"). Without more precise measurements, it's hard to say whether this would put the A-arms on their bump stops at extreme location, but it should be pretty close.</p>
Craig

If you're not replacing the link, then you're not going to lower the car, plain and simple. All you're going to do is raise it, which negates the purpose of the whole thing, unless you're planning on doing some off roading.

HUH?

The link length will vary. Sometimes shorter, sometimes longer, and at the center point, the same as original. Thereby, the height of the chassis will vary correspondingly.

Craig

Tomorrow, I'll take some measurements on the stripped 56 400 outback to get an idea of the strut length for full collapse and full rebound.

Craig

You ARE talking about making the link itself the hydraulic cylinder, correct? If so, then you are replacing the link with the cylinder. If the cylinder in it's shortest length is the same length as the original non-adjustable link, then it won't lower anything. If you want to use a cylinder that will be shorter than the original link, then you'll be using a "pancake" type cylinder, one that's larger diameter than it's height. You have to use this type of cylinder, as a normal cylinder would be too long or won't have enough strength to withstand the pressures and duty cycles of adjusting the suspension on a 5000 lb car. I understand what you're saying, I just don't think you understand me.

The only other way to make this work is to use a cylinder to the side of the link axis, and basically in a "monkey wrench" type of arrangement, have two surfaces with the ball ends contacting in their normal spots. Otherwise, it's back to the pancake!

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Why are you assuming that the effective length is the same as original???
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The cylinder in it's shortest length is, let's say, 3in. The strut is 4-5in, depending. Also, the upper and lower pad ends could be machined maybe 1/8in on the strut side. This means that the pad-end-cylinder-collapsed length is effectively 2-3/4in, shortened 1-1/4in from it's original 4in length.
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I don't see the problem you are trying to describe.
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Craig