Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I have a '55 400 that I'm doing a frame up restoration. Where can I find a torsion bar loading/unloading tool J-5954. I have the body off the frame now, can I load the torsion bar with the body off? I also can use a centering tool J-6045. Know where I can borrow, rent these tools?

Since the work was intended to be performed with the vehicle on a lift (and the load off the suspension anyway), having the body off the frame shouldn't be a factor.

Actually, there are three different sets of tools involved:

1) J-5954 Torsion Bar Loading and Unloading Tool

2) J-6045 Load Arm Centering Tool

3) J-6046 Torsion Bar Removing Tool

...all of which are shown in the "Suspension and Steering" section of the factory shop manual (available FREE as a PDF file on this site). If you read, understand, and follow the directions in that section, you shouldn't have much trouble. Treat the system with respect, and it will return the favor in kind; abuse it, and it will abuse you.

For example, the Removing Tool, however simple it may appear to be, is designed to prevent damaging the torsion bar when driving it out of the broach in the front load arm. Nick the bar and you'll be giving it a place to break (like cutting sheets of glass or lexan).

In searching for these tools, you will typically find all three sets together or none at all. Unfortunately, these particular tools seem to be more difficult to come by than other special service tools for these cars, and they were not reproduced as often as even the J-6065 Front Load Arm Holding Tool.

Hopefully, someone with a lead on a source for the loading/unloading tools will chime in, here.

Quote:
G'day Jim,
And after our brief meeting in the Chatroom yesterday, to PackardInfo. Sorry, can't help with your request but I have a request of my own. Could you please include your '55 400 in the Owner Registry here, together with a pic, any known history and how you acquired it?

Quote:

That is SO true. Chrysler made a point about this very thing. I have all(?) the Mopar torsion bar tools and the critical ones are designed to prevent gouging.

I remember being in a Cadillac dealer in the early 70's (the Potamkin dealer on 11th Ave and 55th? st which I believe was once the Packard dealership building) and while in the parts dept one of the mechanics came in with a broken torsion bar. I asked him what that was for as I was only familiar with Mopar and Packard using torsion bars...he replied it was for an Eldorado and it was the second one he was replacing on the same car.

I asked him why twice, he told me the first one broke from the terrible streets and the second from one of the brain sturgeon mechanics having placed a pair of Vice Grip pliers on it and scoring it up sumpthin fierce!

I believe I read on the Imperial website that you could make a removal tool from a hardwood block as that would not damage the Tbar. You would take about a sixXsixXsix block of hardwood, saw it in half, drill it for four bolts and nuts and bolt it together. The drill it through the slot somewhat smaller than the diameter of the Tbar. After bolting this on the Tbar, you could pound on the wood without injuring the bar itself.

Might pay to have a look at the Project Blog of cli55er (Hank) and what he did with his body off '55 Constellation resto.

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... flat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

And IIRC there is another thread here where someone was after the TL tools, can't remember whether they found them or or not.

IIRC, the factory-specified removing tool was hard enough to take repeated blows from hammer, but then had some sort of softer insert metal in the "bore" and was also chamfered at each end to prevent damaging the torsion bar.

Though the hardwood substitute wouldn't hold up well in the kind of use that such a tool would see in a Packard dealership of the time, it might be just as effective in ocassional use.