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Only want to second Clipper47's comment about Five Points in Santa Ana, the eighth post here. They've been in business since 1968 and know our shocks as well as anyone, prompt turnaround. They did long ago the shocks for my '40 One-Twenty, as well as its special fifth rear shock to control lateral side sway, and my '47 Super Clipper's shocks. The Clippers' fifth rear shock is a Monroe type and does not contain fluid.

When we find a business who caters to our cars and does it right, we're well served to spread the word, keep them around.
I paid an extra ten bucks per shock to have them set extra-firm in both cars, but then i'm an old sports car guy who sees our Packards as road cars.

I believe Five Points, or someone else, furnishes urethane sway bar bushings if yours are tired. I wanted to install a thicker sway bar, but noticed the long-wheelbase (148") 1946-47s use the same part number as the 127" wb 2103/2106.
But all's well and so much of our cars are over-engineered. For example, when my '40 120's transmission was being rebuilt, my mechanic was concurrently rebuilding a 1940 or '41 Buick Century or Roadmaster gearbox. We noted the junior Packard's mainshaft was half again thicker than the senior Buick's. And the senior Packard's (160/180, Super/Custom Super) thicker still.
Don Garlits used junior R-6 Packard transmissions in his 1960s 1,000hp 426 hemi fuel rail dragsters after the Cad-LaSalle gearboxes shattered.

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2911 S. Main St.
Unit A
Santa Ana, CA 92707
714 - 979 - 0451

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Saturday & Sunday: By Appointment

I'd like to fill my knee-action shocks with jack oil, but I have questions.

If I jack up the car to get access, how do I bounce it up and down? Or can I get to it without removing the wheel.

Do I jack up the car by the frame or the lower control arm?
(And then apply jack stands, of course.)
Then remove the wheel to get access?
Do I have to disconnect the arms?
What will happen if I disconnect the two arms?
Do I have to prop up anything?

Here's how I did my '48. Open hood (one side at a time). Get a tiny plastic funnel. Remove the access plug on top of the shock. Insert funnel. Pour oil into the funnel. As you are leaning across the fender looking at the shock, use your weight to bounce the car up and down. You will see bubbles in the funnel as the shock takes the oil. Continue until full.

Make sure you prop the hood securely so it doesn't come crashing down on you while bouncing.

Joey,
Thanks so much. That was easy. Just got back from Harbor Freight with oil can. It's close by.
Joe

Joey, Your method doesn't work on a '40.

The filler is right up against the splash panel, but a oil spout could get in there.

Once you jack the car up to access the shock, however, you can't rock it up and down. I tried to leverage a board, but it didn't move. Compressing coil springs like these takes someone stronger.

I can access that big bolt that holds the arms, but I don't want any surprises, or be unable to reattach it.

But I will get it done somewhere. somehow.

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You shouldn't need to disconnect any of the suspension parts, nor should you.

To you have a stout pair of heavy duty ramps?

Then you would be able to fill from underneath and then still be able rock it as the car will still be resting on the resting the tires.

Or, just take a ride around the block and recheck again. Probably easier and maybe safer than trying to find a why to rock up and down when on a jack.

You have to rock up and down to get the air out. With the suspension on the ground or a ramp, you utilize the weight of the car to move the shock.

Guys, I'm fat enough to rock the car up and down, no problem. I think it rocks too much. That's why I want to fill the shocks and lose weight.

The manual says remove the filler plug and that big bolt holding the arms, then the arms are free to move up and down so you can pump it.
O ye of little faith. I don't trust myself. I just don't want something to twang and come down or go up unexpectedly. "Joe, Yes, you have to remove the bolt, but only after chaining the car to a fire hydrant. Releasing that bolt is tantamount to pulling the ripcord on a 5-ton catapult. Plus you'll never get those two arms to line up without the jaws of life."

That's my fear.

Please note, I have been asking what will happen if I did remove that bolt.

But I talked to John and when he gets back from LA vacay we'll work on it.

Who says I can explain it, but I can't insure you'll understand it?

Last time I did this on my super or 12 don't remember being this difficult. Put the chassis on jack stand, jack and maybe a large block of wood under just behind the tire. Resting on lower suspension bracket. jacked up the suspension with tire on , I think maybe had it off, and pulled out the upper bolt. Worked the schock arms up and down several times, add a bit of fluid each time, till there were not more bubbles and would not take anymore fluid. You just need to make sure that the tire, or brake drum does not fall away from car because of the rubber brake line.
It's been so long I may have missed something, but I remember what if the spring lets go, but as I remember it can't go anyplace because you have the lower outer suspension jacked up a bit so the arms are not resting on the rubber stop.
If you have a bit of shake from the front suspension, I did the tiny washer I put in behind the valve to make the suspension a bit stiffer, per the Packard bulletin. If these washers, spacers, are not available I might have a couple, I made them myself years ago.