G'day Howard Gordon,
to PackardInfo.

Besides replacing your rear wheel bearings I invite you to "place" your '34 Eight in PackardInfo's Packard Vehicle Registry.

Since you mentioned 359s...

Saw this at the Cleveland AutoRama back in 2018. Makes me think Seme and Sons in Cleveland might know something about Packard Straight Eights.

Although I've never had occasion to use their services, Seme and Sons has a long, long history here in Cleveland. It's a bit of a haul from Kentucky, but it might be worth a call if you can't find someone in your neck of the woods. You can find them here:

Seme & Sons
1320 E 260th St
Euclid, Ohio
216-261-0066
semeandson.com

Edit: I just looked at their website and they also feature a 1930 Super Eight in the Engine gallery.

Attach file:

---

  Packard 359 2.jpg (167.74 KB)


  Packard 359 3.jpg (156.08 KB)


  Packard 359 1.jpg (144.85 KB)

A very straight forward job. Remove the axle shafts, press off the old bearings and press on the new ones. Pack with fresh wheel bearing grease. Setting the axle shaft end play is unique to this construction as, due to the dual opposed bearings on each shaft you'll have to set the end play separately for each shaft independent of the other. Adjustment is made by adding or subtracting shims behind the INNER bearing race so you might end up removing the inner race more than once - not fun! The shims if needed are easily made from sheet shim stock. If you search a bit on this site you'll find a post on a very simply made tool to facilitate measuring the shaft end play.

I strongly suggest replacing the inner and outer seals.

This thread from the last time I repacked the bearings on my 1934 Eight might be helpful to you.https://packardclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=266&start=10

PS - just to be correct, your Packard is a Eight, not a Standard Eight. The word Standard as part of the model name was dropped after 1932.

Attach file:

---

  34 rear wheel bearing assy.jpg (120.50 KB)

Thanks Bigkev and Mike! I'm saving my "pennies" for the big Purchase

Oddly, the most faded Lense is the NEWER one I had replaced when I first got my vehicle.

The ones pictured in Bezels I assumed are original, but i really have no way on knowing. I plan on experimenting with the Lense but only when I finally have "new" lenses!

All the '37 Twelves I have seen have the front roll control bar, but I have only seen only two on Super-Eights... our RHD 1003 and a 1019.
The Super-Eights and Twelves mount differently and have different part numbers.
I put the roll control bar on our '37 super-Eight Convertible Sedan because it is our driver. Let me tell you, it makes a BIG difference in cornering sharp curves on country roads!

If any reader has a Super-Eight unit gathering dust, please contact me...I am interested in acquiring another one for out LeBaron A/W Town Car.

Attach file:

---

  rollcontrollbar023.jpg (54.42 KB)


  Super-Eight roll controll.jpg (70.37 KB)


  Twelve front stabilizer 300.jpg (74.61 KB)

Kev is probably correct in that the compensator valve is suspect if the brakes fail at times and then work again. This is a critical valve and consists of a spring held single piece of rubber that the end of the ram or piston bumps against in the released position and normally holds slightly tilted and open so fluid can freely enter and leave the pressure side. When the pedal is pushed and ram or piston moves forward to displace the fluid, the spring can then pull the rubber straight and upward so valve seals the port. The increased hydraulic pressure in the master will force it tightly closed as long as there is a good seal to start with.

If the spring is weak or if there is any kind of contamination, old congealed or crystalized fluid or anything else floating in the fluid that happens to land on the seat as the valve is closing the seal is lost and there will usually be no brakes because whatever hydraulic pressure is being generated in the master just pushes fluid back into the reservoir and not out to the wheels. When the pedal goes back to the released position and the valve opens again the debris might move off the port so the next time you apply the brakes everything works fine. This action has resulted in the bad name Treadlevacs have of stopping at one light but not the next.

If the system has not been flushed for awhile I would carefully examine the condition of the fluid to see if this could be your problem. The debris might not even be seen because it could be floating in the piston side below the valve and not in the reservoir. Even better would be a rebuild particularly if the unit has been sitting and is now being placed back in service.

Here is a page from the Easamatic Training Manual. This book was written when your 52 unit was used which has a slightly different power or vacuum operation than later units. You can download the manual from the literature section and photos are much better than those in the 51-4 service manual.

Attach file:

---

  compensator valve.jpg (302.80 KB)

I checked the fluid and it was a touch low but nothing crazy

They are power brakes

Remember, too, that part of a complete tune up in the day was to check head and manifold torque engine warm (given iron head). But don't overdo; some folks don't back off quickly enough when click heard.
And you want the manifold to be able to expand and contract.

Be thankful our 356 engines have one-piece manifold, not three-piece a la Buick 320 straight eight.

Grade 5 is fine