Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

I am having trouble identifying/locating this broken spring. Part of what has perplexed me is (1) I am not seeing this specific spring in manuals/docs (easily could be overlooking), and (2) I found it in a location that suggests it fell off before a lengthy drive (emergency brake related?). The closest similar I have seen are not ones with an "outer" hook. I haven't had a chance to investigate by getting under the car, etc. but hoping a fast "duh it's this" response can help me try and locate (pointers appreciated) and order a replacement. Thanks in advance.

If I remember right, there is a spring between the frame and the parking brake equalizer.

Other possible spring locations could be throttle linkage and clutch linkage.

Not sure, but have you checked your cowl vent?

The cowl vent has no spring that I recall but this one, being a fine wire with many large windings, looks like a throttle return spring that may or may not have come from the 1939 Packard. Too light a pull for anything to do with the clutch.

Another possibility is brake return or if 39 clutch release linkages are similar to postwar cars, there is a spring similar to that one running from the clutch fork arm at the bellhousing to a fixed bracket on the frame or engine.

I don’t know about ‘39, but I know ‘37 has a spring on the cowl vent lever to keep tension for the detents to hold the vent open.

My cowl is currently "loose" as I took it apart in the Fall for a new gasket (still need to finish installing). I don't believe there was anything but the 3 or 4 bolts/nuts.

On the throttle, unless there are 2 springs in the chain, the one "similar" on the right side near the carburetor is still in tact.

As to the clutch, b/c of my drive I would assume I would have been unable to shift, etc. or would have noticed on the drive.

The brake suggestion may be the most likely. I usually back out of the garage and and stop to warm the car up in the area where I stumbled on the spring later. Sheer dumb luck I found it, much less when it was getting dark.

Thanks again for the direction. Hopefully I can take a look this week and confirm what I find.

If it turns out to be brake related then I'm glad my paranoia of never "parking" the car perpendicular to my pond exists, otherwise I'd have a wet Packard.

Far too “soft” of a spring for that. The little one inside the clutch for the throwout bearing return is stiff and has no length of wire to its hook and was virtually unchanged for decades.

I should have added some size reference and other details. The core of the spring is very close to a new replacement spring I have for the throttle (hook to end of coil about 4 inches, guessing 5 inches with the missing/broken hook). Apart from the direction of the one hook being different than the throttle replacement, it is much stiffer/tighter which was also another reason I initially thought brake related.

Here is a partial view of the eBrake equalizer spring on my 37, I think it is a heavier spring than the one you are asking about.
Bob J.

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  E brake Mech.JPG (2,864.19 KB)