Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Want to replace the rubber torque arm balls. When I did this over twenty years ago, replaced all other rubber bushing parts, and the front springs at same time. So, as I remember was easy to do. Now keeping the springs and other suspension bushings in place anything I need to know. Maybe just put a jack under the front of the arm and lift the front wheel off the ground a bit? Will this allow me to swing the rear of the torque are either up, down, or sideways, to allow taking off the old one, and putting the new one on.
Another question, just completed some clutch work, all good. Except if I look at the tail of the overdrive it is about a 1/4 inch from center. I think only reason for concern is it is causing the rear rubber, coil spring to lean over to one side. Any adjustment on those rear mounts? Or anything else that might cause that.
Thanks.

Don't think there is much adjustment on the coil spring part but I was thinking if the 40 uses the same type trans mounts with slots that bolt into a cross member having the same "V" shaped saddle arrangement the 47 uses, if one side is slightly lower in the saddle the entire engine/trans might be rotated and offset slightly. By the time the error is reflected farther back away from the mounts it might account for 1/4".

Any chance of viewing the bolts to see if they are in the same relative position in the slots? If not maybe loosening the trans mount to saddle bolts almost to the point of being out and then use a jack to relieve the weight. You might be able to pry and rotate the engine/trans over in the saddle slightly to see if that might make a difference.

the rubber in my torque arm balls is 75 years old and still doing their job. Are the reproductions not lasting very long? Or are you referring to doing the job 20 years ago on a different car?

Same car, used Steele Rubber all around the car, and their rubber is not holding up in all pivot areas. I am slowly replacing all suspension bushings. I want to get a front wheel alignment done, and thought putting in new rubber balls first before alignment. Have had a few alignments done in the past years, but it seems now after a couple hundred miles the front tire treads flare quite a bit and the car follows every groove in the road. Or perhaps just need to rotate tires every couple hundred miles? They are Firestone Bias Ply.

I've helped install full Steele rubber suspension parts on Safe-T-flex suspensions but can't say I've followed up to see how they lasted. But based on my more extensive experience on the T/L cars with Steele rear suspension bushings I can say they don't have much longevity compared to the OEM parts.

Fully agree.