Re: 55 Clipper custom, torsion level not working, considering.....

Posted by Cli55er On 2010/8/20 14:19:40

actually, they don't crisscross.

[quote]
Rusty O\'Toole wrote:

In the Packard system there are 2 long rods, one goes from the right front wheel to the left rear, and the other from the left front to the right rear.

In other words they criss cross. This does some interesting things. For a start, when one front wheel hits a bump it pushes up on that wheel and pushes down on the rear wheel on the opposite side. This braces the car for the impact and helps the car glide smoothly without rocking back and forth.

BUT since the springs are not tied down or anchored, the car is free to tip like a teeter totter. For instance a big load in the trunk will make the back go down and the front go up big time, even more than a regular car.

The solution to this was to put 2 more short torsion bars on the rear wheels, one on each. These were attached to an electric motor that automatically stiffens up the rear suspension when there is a big load on, and unwinds when you take it off.