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

Will a standard shock work laid on its side? If not, the big shock absorber companies make a steering damper for trucks and off road 4 wheel drives. They are made to work on their sides. The only question is do they have as much resistance as the original sideways Packard shock?

Will a standard shock work laid on its side?

I doubt it, take one and lay it on it's side and try it, I think you'll find that since the base fluid reservoir is now partly filled with air, it will be unsatisfactory.

being only familiar with v8 years, what is the purpose of the sideways shock?

Same as a regular shock but in the laterial direction rather than up and down, i.e. to stabilize the ride by minimizing lateral body sway.

I bought my shocks today from Max Merritt. I'm 40 miles from them, and it was a pretty day, so I took an extended lunch hour and drove down there.

The shocks were $40 apiece. They are AC Delco 751002 gas shocks. I put them on tonight and WOW! What a difference in the ride and handling.

I'm surprised that the rear shocks made such an improvement in my steering, but they did. And I now roll over rough pavement and bumps easily. Big difference for not too much work.

Now then... the shocks (they are gas shocks) really are ACDelco, and the 751002 is stamped in big numbers on the shocks, but when I Google that I get back just a reference to something with a coil spring. I don't know what to make of that. I only know what I saw.