Re: 29 packard 626 wheel shimmie

Posted by Thomas Wilcox On 2012/4/8 20:25:00

Play between the worm and sector gear can be adjusted via the nut on the outside face of the gear box. Shimmy can be caused by:

-Worn king pins
-Worn tie rod balls or other parts that can lead to a loose connection between the spindles.
-Worn out bearings
-Out of round tires
-Unbalanced tires
-Bent or warped rims
-Poor alignment
-etc....

But, probably not the steering gear. Loose steering (or no steering) can be caused by the steering gear and pitman arm.

I would recommend starting from the outside and working in. Check both front tires for roundness, balance, etc. Also check the rims. Then check the bearings. Then the spindle, then .....until all is checked and brought to factory specs if necessary.

These are very simple, and very reliable steering systems that were over-engineered for the roads of the day.

There are some photos of a 1930 system available athttp://packardpaddock.com/page2/page15/page15.html

The 29 system is very similar.

Cheers,

Tom