Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

My 55 Caribbean has had the following problems for last twenty years and I figure I may as well try to fix it. At highway speed, the leveler is constantly leveling. I think what is happening is the wind is lifting the front end and so the motor kicks in to level the car driving the front end to low. Then the leveler kicks in again and drives the front end to high. In stop and go traffic, the front end dives when stopping and stays down so the leveler comes on and levels the car. When accelerating from the stop, the rear end dips and once again the leveler comes on. I cheated the leveler with a manual switch to eliminate this but I would really like to fix it. Any ideas? My thought is to install a solid state brain.

How are the upper inner A arm bushings?

Have you ever replaced them?

How are the other rubber bushings on the TL system? Any of them deteriorated and needing to be replaced?

The entire front end was rebuilt a year ago. This had no effect on the problem. Never touched the rubber bushings. Might be a good starting point. Are they hard to replace and get parts for?

The inner upper bushings can be replaced, but it's not fun to do. There should be a few threads on this site on how to do it. Just be careful working on the TL system.

The bushing is a Ford product. It think it is listed in the part x-ref on this site.

The other bushings and rubber parts have been reproduced, so they are available.

One last thing to check are the bolts that hold the upper A arms. I had one break on my 55 Patrician. You could not tell by looking at it, but you could pull it right out, since it sheared off at the frame.

Please take in all advise, but my impression is you have an issue with your brake light 3-prong switch. My 400 at times did as you describe but all that was corrected when I installed a new switch. I used the commonly available conversion from the Packard's International people.

Just a thought.

When I had the front end rebuilt, I had to replace the passenger side upper a-arm. It was cracked at one of the inner bushings. I am using a three prong brake switch. I may be wrong, but doesn't the switch cut out the torsion leveler when the brakes are applied? The brake lights function normally. But what you are trying to get through my thick skull is that is the third position that is bad.

I may be wrong, but doesn't the switch cut out the torsion leveler when the brakes are applied?

Correct.

....is that is the third position that is bad.

If the leveler is actuating -- but not at the same time the brake lights are on -- then it would appear the switch is OK. It is a single pole, double throw switch. Only one output is active at a time.

If there is any question you could test it with a voltmeter while it is still connected to the plug. Connect one lead of the meter to ground and use the other to touch the switch terminals thru the end of the plug. With the car sitting, power should be on the pink (or purple) wire and also the light green wire for the leveler. When brakes are applied, power is cut off the light green wire and will then be on the pink and the dark green wire.

if you have not done anything to the rear axle , i would suspect frt lower axle bushing. torque arm,, but all could be bad.

the rear axle, could be rotating,

On TL cars, the condition of the rubber suspension bushings is critical to preventing seesawing. The problem is not caused by the leveler, that is only responding to existing conditions.

The essense of TL is that the car is suspended near its center of gravity. Thus small disturbances in load or braking/ accelerating forces can cause it to pitch forward or backward if the rubber bushings no longer have their natural self centering effect. The upper inner bushings have the most prevalent effect, but all contribute.

I just did a 56 Carrybeans with relatively low miles and the same complaint as yours, but the years had definitely caught up with all that rubber. When completed the car rarely needed to level and the ride quality was much improved.