Re: Tips for moving a Patrician that has been parked for 35+ years?

Posted by HH56 On 2024/6/27 16:30:24

Here is the official Packard position on towing the car. The Ultramatic does have a rear oil pump so as long as oil is in the trans it will be lubricated so can be towed a few miles but at a slow speed. Without knowing the reason why the car was parked though, it could be the transmission was the issue and towing it could farther damage or destroy the transmission. Unless the car is only going on a trailer or car hauler I would recommend disconnecting the drive shaft at the rear axle and tying it up safely out of the way to tow the car more than a fairly short distance.

Even though Packard mentioned the possibility of towing with front wheels down, I believe that only apples to manual steering cars. It has been found by hard experience that if the car has power steering DO NOT have a tow truck pick it up at the rear and tow backwards with all the weight being only on the front wheels. Without the engine running and oil pressure in the power steering system the front wheels will whip back and forth a couple of degrees which can damage the control valve. Tying the steering wheel does not help! The geometry with a majority of the weight only on the front wheels can also stress the pitman arm to the point of cracking where it is splined to the steering box.

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