Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Bushings are here and the weather is up to 60 degrees soon. Maybe on that last bit.

I know that in the past we have discussed removal and rebushing of the rear sway bars...and I can't find anything that relates to that.

No pictures in the parts image book.
Nothing at all in the shop manual.
Search of site under sway bar doesn't find it.

If you can direct me, I would very much appreciate it; if you can post pictures that would be wonderful.

I'd appreciate knowing how you found it; I don't seem to write a good search.

Thank you!

Pat, look again in the parts book, it's illustrated in Plate 32B. No need for anything in the shop manual, it's really only 2 moving parts, some rubber bushings and some pivot posts. And I think more properly its a Panhard rod system as it actually positions the rear axle assembly left to right, it's not a true sway bar system. But anyway the only thing that requires any brain cells is the central pivot system rework as it's a riveted assembly. What most of us have done is remove the entire system, grind off the rivet heads, drill and tap the post, and reassemble with cap screws. I used 1/4-24 as I recall. Hopefully you're using urethane bushings, the rubber ones only last a few thousand miles.

Quote:
If I type rear sway bar in the Search box on the Home page and click on the Find button, the results page shows nothing in terms of matches, but it does provide an advanced search section, below, with those same keywords repeated in a new search field. At this point, you can apply different filters to tailor the search area(s).

You have to keep in mind that scope of the site's search feature is context-sensitive. That is, if you search from the Home page, right or wrong, it only searches the Literature and Manuals section, by default. In fact, that box for 'Packard Literature Manuals' is already selected in advanced serach section of the search results page. If you had executed the same search while browsing the forums, it should have searched only the forum posts.

Picking up where I left off with the search from the Home page, if I deselect 'Packard Literature Manuals' and, instead, select 'Packard Forums', and then click on the Search button below, I get the first five matching posts from the forums. However, if you then click on 'Show All Results', you'll get the a page of the first 20 matching posts - newest to oldest.

Meanwhile, the item under discussion is known as 'sway bar' in the vernacular, but it is officially known (and not just by Packard) as a stabilizer; though some call it a bar, Packard refers to it as a rod.

So, you may have to perform multiple searches, using different sets of keywords, to find what you want - just like using Google.

Quote:
No, it's not a Panhard rod, but a Watts link (or more properly, Watt's linkage).

While both designs are intended to limit side-to-side motion, a Panhard rod actually moves the axle, vertically, in a bit of an arc and toward one side of the vehicle.

A Watts link moves the axle in a nearly-straight vertical line, keeping the axle closer to center. I'm guessing that the torsion bar suspension required that.

Henry' . Blog...maybe page 100. range. I might have something. On my blog

BH, thanks for the explanation of the Watts linkage, I wasn't aware of that and appreciate the distinction in how the two systems differ.

Large thank yous to all!

Blew right by the illustration in the parts book!!!!!

If I recall earlier remarks, the new bolts should be grade 8 and there was something about grinding the heads a bit for clearance.

Will now use my new search skills to hone in on previous comments!

So this tread begs the question....Would this chassis benefit from the addition of a true Anti-sway bar??
More for ya'll to ponder!

Got it!

Stabilizer and show all results did it!

Again--or as always--thanks so much.

pat henrys blog,,start on page 27, shows it in pieces keep going up the pages,,