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All 55's used the same pattern mesh: Gold for Packards, silver for Clippers.

I had to dig down in to the dredges of page 2 to find my blog.

I have been working on the Packard. I just that I have been working on the same location for so long that I got tired of posting about it. I did finally get the hinge post done. I had it done earlier but didn't like the looks of it and cut it all off. My second attempt was much better. Got the new floor panel and inner rocker tacked in now. Hopefully we'll pull the body off in August, I hope.

As slow as I am, my engine shop is even slower. I dropped off the engine block back in January. 5 month and 3 weeks later I got the it back last week. Its only the short block. I'll take the heads in this winter as there is no rush.

Also I only have about $1000 left in this years budget so I have to spend it wisely. One thing for certain I won't be taking the heads to that shop. While I am in no rush there is no excuse for a 6 month wait.

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Finally got the body and frame separated today. Used a method I've seen here a couple times. It worked pretty well, still got all my fingers and toes. The body is now setting on the body cart that a friend and I built this past spring.

The frame is in good shape. Lots of surface rust of course but the outrigger are in good shape. I'm looking forward to digging into it.

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Now that the body is off the frame I find myself staring long and hard at the T/L suspension. Like all who have come before me I am trying to figure out the best way to handle it.

I got a question for those of you that may own the unwinding tool or have at least seen it used.

Look at the image below please (I stole it from Henry's blog).
I want to know the length of the all thread (A to B). My goal is to find the minimum and maximum length required to unwind the bars.
Thanks

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OK, I just gotta know: What are your reasons for unwinding the bars? I have only needed to do it one time in two decades of dealing with TL cars. All of the rubber bushings can be serviced without.

I have spent the better part of the past year dreading the T/L. If I can do this without unloading I will be more then happy to do so.

I know I can work around the front torsion bars using chain to hold them in place. I have seen it done on this site multiple times but how do I hold the rear end bars in place safely for an extended period of time.

I have no actual plans to unload them at this time just seeing what I can do myself if I have to. The length of movement in the rear bar is a sticky point in my planning.

I didn't have a choice on mine, my rear arms were frozen. I used the following rod to hold mine up using the front shock tower. For the rear, I used the same just ran a bar bolted from the frame over the arm.

I actually used this to unload the bars by, unwinding from the front. A little backwards but it worked beautifully.

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Did you look at this thread?
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... um=3&post_id=141978#forumpost141978

And this one,
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... lat&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=10

And this one,
packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... at&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=300

If you have access to "Packard a history of the motor car and the company", there is a picture on page 593 showing winding the torsion bars at the Conner plant. The frame is upside down.

And does this answer your question,

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There is no need to restrain the unwinding of the bars at the rear, as the frame does it for you. The load arm will rotate down to a particular position and then stop as it can not go any farther.

The only real need to remove the bars is if they are sagged, otherwise damaged, or as in Troy's case--which is the first I ever heard of-- that the load arm bearings are toast.

Oh, one other thing: There are heavy steel sleeves on the u-bolts that attach the rear axle to the suspension arms. (You can't see them yet-they are inside the rubber bushings) They are almost always rusted to the u-bolts tighter than the hinges of hell.

There is no particular advantage to removing them unless there is some sort of serious damage. Consider them a permanent part of the axle assembly, replace your rubber bushings and keep going.

Ross,

the only reason I had to rewind mine was because I thought the tow straps I was using would hold. either they weren't strong enough....or the stuff I used to rust encapsulate the frame ate through them and they gave way overnight. I wasn't happy, but a friend saved me. I'm glad they gave away...it was a fun experience to use the factory tool.

Where did you get that threaded rod contraption to hold the arm up??