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This topic may have been discussed before in the Forum but I could not find a discussion relating to it.

I have a 1937 120 and need to replace the center steering linkage bearings and pin located under the radiator/engine pully. What is the best way to get at the bearings and pin to remove the old ones and insert the new ones? Does the whole front-end of the car have to come off? Can I just remove the hood, radiator and engine pully?

I would appreciate any help from someone who's been there, done that.

Thanks.

I'm not completely sure about your 37 but I just redid the whole front end on my 39. I believe you can change the center pin without pulling the radiator, on my car it went in from the bottom. I got the nut loose from the top but I had read that on cars where the motor mounts have sagged it made for a real close fit. My pin was completely frozen and required grinding the nut side off and then tapping it down from the top. It was a ton of work but well worth it, the car drives great now. If yours is frozen that hard you will have to pull the grill shell and radiator to be able to get at it.

I helped a friend rebuild his center link on a 38 Eight (120) a few years ago. The entire job was done from below, no need to remove the radiator or anything else. Replacement parts came from Dave Flack.

I did this job on my 115c with the engine out just because of where I was in the restoration, but if you put the car up on jack stands, you shouldn't have to remove any major body parts. Like Packick said, if you have sagging mounts, you will have to jack up the front of the motor. Might be a good time to replace that part too, if you need to.

Thanks everyone. I guess my plan of attack is to see if I can remove the castle nut and pin from below before I remove anything else. Baby steps.

If you would send me your mailing address I would be glad to send you photo copies of the process. The only way I know to do it is to remove the crank arm and housing assembly from the left side from below the car, after disconnecting the tie rod ends from the crank arm. You must remove both lower inner control arm pivots,which are bolted through the crank arm housing assembly,into the frame. There may be other ways to do it but I have never heard of any. My copies are from Packard friends(deceased)and Kevin Rice's(115c news letter)from the past.

If the offer of "how to" information for this process is still open I'd sure love to have a copy or a scan. I assume the information would work in a similar manner on a 1940 - 110

Thanks Jim

Jim Harrison
8725 NC Hwy 105 South
Boone, NC 28607
jim@hiddenvalleymotel.com

I finally found the time to do this job. Not too bad. As the instructions sent to me said, you have to remove the driver's side spring to get the linkage out. Other than that, no lifting of the motor or raising of the body.

I couldn't believe the condition of the old bearings . . . pretty rusty and the leather seals had deteriorated to almost nothing. Now the steering is smooth and the car doesn't wander a bit when driving. I am glad I did this job.

I was told that Packard changed the design of the steering center arm in 1938 and replacing the bearings for those years and newer is a lot simpler.