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These get stuck. Has not been that big of a problem, occurred only occasionally, and a little WD40 on the joints helped. Plus, not that hard to pull over and use a crowbar to disengage the stuck rod. But getting worse. What's the fix? Would appreciate the simplest solution or what's involved in doing it right. Thanks!

WD-40 is a good start and will have prevented some of the worse case corrosion but is not really heavy enough to last long or provide a lot of lube.

Toward the bottom of the steering column and an inch or so above the upper lever there is a small hole on the side of the shift tube that needs a few drops of oil. Oil will run down inside the tube and will leak out a slot the tongue pin to the select rod slides in to take care of the splines the shift tongue rides on. A bit more will continue down to lube the R-1 shift lever where it rotates on the shift tube. Don't get carried away with the oil in the hole as what doesn't go out the slot will continue to the end of the tube and out all over the steering box and floor. There is no provision made to lube the upper 2-3 shift lever so it needs a few drops of oil placed at the clip and shim washers at top of the lever so some can run down the tube and get in the space between the lever and tube. The two levers need to be absolutely free to independently rotate on the shift tube. If one is sticking when the other is selected to move, the two will try to turn as a unit and generally cause lockups or missed shifts since the interlock in the trans will prevent two gears at once.

Wear at the rod ends where bushings at pivot points need a snug fit has been found by many having issues and the linkage being out of adjustment can also cause lockup problems. I would suggest you read thru some of the service info on the 41-7 Clipper as the 50 mechanism is identical. There are half a dozen articles on sticking and lockup issues pertaining to the Clipper that can be accessed from the service index.https://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/serviceinfo/catindex.php?cat=17&series=5&

Good Evening...Just a humble comment. We have a 1949 Deluxe which used to get stuck between gears...usually in second gear. We flushed the transmission and then filled it with 140 weight gear oil...pretty heavy stuff. That was several years ago and it has been fine since. The transmission seemed to have much lighter gear oil in it. We tried this because we learned on our Model A Ford which takes 600 weight oil! Good luck and a little holly water on the hood ornament can't hurt! Ernie in Arizona

Thanks, guys. I will read the manuals Howard suggests, and try to oil those locations first. See how that goes. But I'll keep the crowbar in my trunk for possible on-road repairs (which are mostly embarrassing as opposed to being that big a deal).

Thanks again guys for the info. But I am afraid I am back, and yes, it was April 2019 when I got the last response, and it is now 2020. I hope you don't think I am a slacker, but I have tried all of the things I can do (various lubricants, including a machinist quality gear oil on as much of the linkages as I can reach), and literally "massaged" the linkage rods and connections from above, and it is beyond my knowledge and capabilities. I hesitate to touch the transmission at all to change fluid. I cannot find anyone in the Bay Area with 8 million people who will even look at the car, much less when you mention "transmission" or "linkage", they hang up immediately. Howard, I tried to reach the two levers you discuss, and read all of the articles you gave, but still no luck. I see you are in Fresno - do you know anyone who might be able to look at this? I can have it towed to Central Valley if need be. I feel if someone with some degree of experience can get it on a rack and rework some of the joints and maybe change (or check) the transmission oil, that will do it, but that's beyond my capabilities. Engines, I know. Transmissions (and linkages), no way. Thanks for any help, maybe even a way to explain what needs to be done to a basic mechanic to sell the job (within financial realities, hopefully). Loshar

You might give Ron Carpenter a call 1 (925) 980-0208 he will know someone who can help you. Some times the linkage has to be removed and the years of use repaired by welding and replacing bushings. The only time you might need to get into the transmission is if the springs or balls that prevent both arms from moving at the same time have failed.

Ron is in Alamo. He is knowledgeable and skilled in all things Packard.

Thanks JW and Dell, I'll let him rest on New Years Day but will call him in the morning. Loshar