Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Howard, give me a day or two to diagram this.

Craig

I maybe remembering wrong, but I thought one had an internal round peg sticking up. I think one broke on me, maybe when a manual override switch was left on too long?

I don't have a 55 box to take photos from the same angle as those on the 56 but here is a factory photo of a 55. Aside from the changes in the bottom plate required by the terminal relocations -- it appears they used flat brass buss bars and a wire on the 56 instead of the vertical style buss they used on the 55 -- the switches appear to be almost identical.

The movable contact plate may be slightly larger on the 56 since the limit stops seem to be less exposed on the 56 than they are on the 55 but that might just be the photo angle.

Attach file:

---

  (38.32 KB)

the long time delay might be burned contacts or worn contacts

HH56 Quote:

It's so simple, I don't have to diagram it, just a few pictuers should do.

I'm using just one side of the DTDT center-off switch. It is mounted just to the outside of the Packard T-L on/off switch. Of course, I had to drill that hole.

The center pole goes to ground -- just a wire with round connector sandwiched between the switch threaded end and the metal of the dashboard held in place with the bezel nut.



The pair of wires from the switch goes to the up/down connectors of the control box.


I almost always have the automatic switch in OFF position and do fine tuning of the level with the DPDT center-off switch. This prevents the annoying "hunt" mode that sometimes happens with the T-L on automatic. At shows, etc, I move the rear up or down with the DPDT switch and then turn on the automatic switch to illustrate both. The DPDT switch to forward position raises the front/lowers the rear while the rearward position does the opposite of course.

After about 14 year years, one of the internal contacts of the DPDT switch burnt out, so I just switched sides. After another 2 years, one of the contacts on that side burnt out. I recently replaced the whole switch with another one from Radio Shack.

Craig

Quote:

That is what I was trying to understand. I thought by your earlier description or comment when I mentioned the system on/off switch had to be off when using a non factory DPDT switch you were using one and had figured a way to keep the automatic section on.

Packards manual switch automatically disconnects the lt green power feed to disable the automatic level so the switch can be left on. Packards switch is not spring loaded so it goes to extreme limits and stops. To stop anywhere in between the system switch has to be off on Packards too.

The only way I could figure out how to use a regular DPDT was with an extra relay. One side powers the up/dn commands and the other side powers a relay where its NC contacts would disrupt the power to control box. That would duplicate the factory but still have the same issues. Regular DPDT would go to limits and spring loaded would be correcting level as soon as you let the switch go unless the system switch was off.

I disassembled the Packard switch and spring-loaded both ends so that it always returns to center off. I had to flatten the dimples on the two internal contacts to accomplish this.
I also changed the location of the switch so that it is hidden in plain sight. Perhaps O_D will remember where I showed him the location I chose
I bought two switches from Max before he discovered what he had. He listed the part number which is very late. His price then was $10.00.

The Packard 1956 factory system or one that emulates it is definitely superior to my "simple, stupid" system. However, I'm "the man in the loop", which like the old flying days, means that if I crash, it's my fault. LOL

Craig

Craig, With the dpdt switch is there any way to move the car up and down level at the same time? Or is it possible to move the rear down and then the front down without raising the rear back up?

55 NC Clipper Quote:

No, no and NO. The T-L is like a child's teeter totter, it pivots around the main bar at the center.

However, one can lower the whole car up or down statically by changing the length of the front T-L strut. See here for my solution:

http://1956packardpanther.com/Panther/adjLinks.html

I don't make these, so don't ask. Somebody else made them a while back, but they are not available anymore, IIRC. However, you can remove yours, take them to a machine shop and have them duplicate what I had done.

Craig