Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

I am trying to remove the sterring column for a 1955 packard clipper and have no luck?

As was mentioned in your other post, not sure what you are having difficulty with. Assuming you have removed columns before then Packard is not too much different. The usual things disconnect or remove. If you are having difficulty figuring out how to remove or work with a specific item let us know what

Once the shift linkages are disconnected at column and plug for turn signals disconnected there are several additional hold spots. If Ultramatic, disconnect the neutral/reverse light switch. The floor plate needs to remove. That is held by 5 screws to floorboard and if the car has power brakes, another 4 to the brake booster. There is a decorative housing on the dash. Again, if Ultramatic, under the rubber cover is the pointer mechanism. The pointer may need to remove or loosen to allow the column to move without bending or damaging the pointer. After those items are loosened or removed the 55 column is one piece.

There is a clamp at the very bottom holding the column proper to a shoulder on the steering box. Loosen or remove the clamp but even with clamp loose, the column may be very tight over the shoulder.

Once you remove the steering wheel and associated parts, find the upper bearing and look for a circular split snap ring in a groove around the shaft and slightly recessed into the upper bearing. I believe the bearing is in the upper stationary piece holding the turn signal switch but if not, then that piece removes and the bearing is in the lower piece that turns with shift lever. Once you find the bearing, verify if there is a ring and if found, pry it off the shaft. You may have to loosen the clamp in next step to slide the column down to free the ring.

The entire column is now held under the dash by a collar and clamp via two bolts to a brace. Once those are out, the column should be free but since the steering shaft is one piece the entire column has to slide up over it. You may have to remove and loosen bolts on the steering box to allow the box and shaft to tilt down a few inches so column doesn't hit the headliner when you lift it off.

Hopefully I haven't forgotten anything but before you try again, someone else will fill in if I did.

I removed the column from inside the car and it was not fun.
I bent the shaft and had a high point with the shaft rubbing against the cover. I took it to a shop several months later to have the shaft straightened. What they did was remove the shaft from under the car. Did the whole job in less than two hours. They removed the steering box as a unit and dropped it under the car. They had to remove the nut on top of the shaft under the horn button and the shift arm before dropping and pulling the steering box and shaft.
MY car is a 55 Panama with springs.

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If you can get the car high enough removing from underneath is a very good option. All the other steps are still needed to free the column from the car and to remove the column from the box. The additional step would be to remove the top stationary piece from the column and then remove the shift lever from the second piece so column can come thru the floor opening without risk of damage to lever. I could be wrong but don't think there is enough room to slide assy to the side enough for lever to clear.

I am working on a 55 Caribbean and have encountered a problem in re- installing the steering box. The box and column were removed when we removed the body for media blasting of the frame. At the time of removal, the engine, transmission and exhaust system were out of the car and it came out through the opening in the floorboard upon removal of the brake/ Tredle- Vac unit.
When the frame was blasted and painted, we opted to install the engine, transmission and new exhaust system before putting the body back on the frame. The dash had been removed for painting and replacement of the dash pad and instrument replacement.
Today we finished installation of the dash and endeavored to return the steering column thought the same hole- per the suggestion of the Motors Manual( the Packard service manual will tell you how to rebuild or test the box but is silent on removal or reinstalling).
Guess what- it doesn't work. The steering box will not clear the left exhaust manifold. Trying it from below was no better since the clearance is restricted by the torsion bar and the power,steering assembly.
If there is a way to get clearance without pulling the steering assembly or loosening the motor mounts to jack the engine or removing the exhaust system to pull the left manifold- let me know.
If I do it again I will install the box before installing the engine.
Anyone else have this problem?
RJR

Don't have a 55 to look at but looking at a 56 HT don't think it is possible from the top even with the short shaft box. The exhaust manifold is too far over to let it drop down between the frame and manifold.

On a regular car I think it can be done from below but would involve disconnecting the steering linkage from the left side and letting it drop. It might even be better to go ahead and remove it completely. The box looks like it would then fit above the bar farther forward and could slide back into position. If there is extra bracing for the convertible in that area then maybe that is not an option. I don't know where all the extra convertible structure is located other than some by the body behind the steering box.

Another question would be if the extra width of the column already installed would interfere when maneuvering and trying to run the shaft past the frame into the opening. Think it would be easier to just be handling the box and shaft only -- certainly less chance of putting a ding in a nicely finished column. Once the box was up and held with one bolt the shaft would be maneuverable and column could be reinstalled from the inside.

Howard- Thanks for the quick reply. We opted to pull the steering back down and installed the box and shaft from below to save the paint on the column.
It is in but I am still thinking that the removal from the top as suggested by the Motors Manual may have had some basis. Either way, this would have been a horror show repair when the cars were on the road. With the interior in place or with a car with a hardtop/ headliner to deal with, pulling from the inside would have been a messy project. But, if you were dealing with rusty bolts and old tie rods and steering component, doing it from the bottom could have been nearly as bad.
Guess it is no worse engineering than the tight quarters of today's cars.
Just hope that I never have to do it again..
Thanks again
RJR

Glad it went back in. Not sure what to say about the Motors manual top removal suggestion. Possibly if the brake unit was removed the box could slide straight back enough to clear the manifold and bar.

One thing I've noticed on Motors suggestions is instructions kind of carried over from previous editions -- like they didn't seem to catch them in time or realize there were subtle enough differences between years & procedures needed to change. As I recall one earlier edition mentioned removal of the floor plate to access the trans and there was no plate to remove.