Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Home away from home
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Thanks for the help. Inthink the wise thing is to rent truck and trailer and tow it off the ground.
Thanks John
Posted on: 2017/5/25 9:28
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Forum Ambassador
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That is the best decision!
Posted on: 2017/5/25 12:16
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Forum Ambassador
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Packard's recommendation (in the owner's manual), at least for traditional Ultramatic, was if the tow was more than 300 miles or speeds were to be greater than 30 mph, the driveshaft should be disconnected.
Posted on: 2017/5/28 19:27
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Home away from home
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Thanks all, I bought a 53 Patrician. 2 tone green, just trailered it home. When I pulled it off the trailer and in the drive way it puked about 2 quarts of power steering fluid on the ground so I have a leak to fix so I can drive it, but I am excited to have my 1st Packard. Will work on it this evening. I may start another topic about power steering if I can't figure it out.
Thanks!! John
Posted on: 2017/5/29 14:47
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Just can't stay away
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congratulations to have her home! two-tone green sound very nice!
don?t worry about the oil... you can refill it ![]()
Posted on: 2017/5/29 15:15
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Home away from home
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I agree with Owen's/Packard's recommendation on towing. As I recall we towed at low speeds driving our 9,000 Packard tractor/trailers.
Posted on: 2017/5/30 13:41
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Home away from home
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Over the years since the 1960s I have towed postwar Packards in every possible combination... flatbed, trailer, dolly, and tow-bar. In fact, I believe I must hold the world's record for tow-barring a Packard coast-to-coast (1956 Caribbean convertible from Florida to California in 1974). Did it while in college behind my 1963 Chevy Impala wagon.
A few of my recommendations: ? For anything over a few miles with the rear wheels on the ground, it is always, always wise (and easy) to remove the driveshaft. Just requires loosening and removing a few bolts at rear of shaft. Transmissions (whatever the kind, brand or type) were never designed to be turned from the rear to the front! To do so is just begging for trouble...maybe not right away, but trouble sooner or later. ? Never tow backwards with rear up and front wheels on the ground. VERY dangerous. The real reason especially on power steering cars is that slop can easily exist with the power steering ram-either from lack of pressure in the system or from leakage and other reasons. This slop combined with the forcing of roll direction against designed-in caster (think of the front wheels on a shopping cart) can make the Packard go wiggy-waggy and then ultimately out of control. The end result could be a wrecked car and even wrecked tow vehicle. And it HAS happened. ? For ANY towing, but especially if flat-bedding, be sure to turn off Torsion-level suspension on V8 Packards. Otherwise the poor car will be trying to react to changes in level and being tied down. As a result, things will either become more tight or more loose... and that's if you don't end up breaking something or bending something. If the car becomes more loose... you know what can happen riding on the back of a truck at highway speed! And by all means, never allow the tow guy (no matter how surly) to use frame-hole tie-downs on the frame or J-hooks on your torsion bars. Either of these can have a nasty result! ? If using a tow service-no matter how professional-always know your Packard and how to tow it. Never assume that the tow guy will know the facts about towing your vintage car. ? If towing in an enclosed trailer, again, make certain the Torsion level on V8 cars is switched OFF. AND make dead certain that any Packard is well tied down so it will not bounce. I have more than one friend with roof and side body damage. This was due to being towed in enclosed trailers without sufficient tie-down done or with Torsion-level ON and attempting to counteract bumps and jostling in the trailer!
Posted on: 2017/5/31 9:33
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Forum Ambassador
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Great advice, Leeedy. The Packard Request suffered some damage a few years ago because of a failure to inactivate the T/L system before tying down in the trailer. And a few other horror stories I've heard of or seen directly.
A really trivial point, but I'd take exception to your comment Transmissions (whatever the kind, brand or type) were never designed to be turned from the rear to the front! Designs all anticipated occasions of being turned from the rear in the course of normal driving such as coasting, for example down hill, or simply slowing down (car in motion, throttle closed). Of course the engine even at idle is still powering the front pump.
Posted on: 2017/5/31 9:45
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Re: towing / driveshaft removal
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Home away from home
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Quote:
Ahhh. Okay. Well, let me be even more forthcoming. As someone who has participated in North American warranty programs for 3 automotive OEMs, I can tell you, turning any transmission from the power output side instead of the power input side on any kind of cruise speed or extended basis in a dead tow is just plain begging for trouble. Sure, you can get away with it... for a while. But I knew a fellow who smoked nonstop and then would also go sit in his car and suck on an oxygen bottle when he would have one of his attacks. Wanna know where he is today? I've also known folks who insisted upon hooking up jumper cables the wrong way and bragged.."Heyyyyy... nothing happened! We ignored your rules and it worked anyway!" And then months later they have a blown diode or they are doing an alternator rebuild and can't understand why. Just because a bad result doesn't happen right away or is not immediately noticeable does not mean the situation is not harmful. And yes, as you said, on automatics whether cruising or not, things are lubricated up front when the engine is on. And there are other factors. Coasting while driving and just plain turning the transmission from the output side during a dead tow are two different things. Same thing for the front end-particularly on Postwar Packards. While the wheels will roll both directions, the entire front suspension and steering are predicated on the car rolling forward. Thus the term and principle of "caster." Ignoring this engineered-in feature can only be done at potential peril. Just like the wheels on the front of a shopping cart, going backwards at any suspended or high or lengthy duration just makes the front wheels want to turn around and go in the opposite direction. Yes, you can do it.... and even get away with it if you're lucky. But it does not mean it ought to be done.
Posted on: 2017/5/31 17:47
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