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

Hi All,

After installing my new leaf springs and pins I went for a victory drive. It was cut short by a severe rattling coming from the front. On close inspection I discovered the 3 rivets connecting the cross bar (tube) to the frame rail in front for the radiator were broken clean through. I have now drilled them out and replaced them with HT bolts.

I wonder if any of the other hammered rivets used in the construction of the frame are similarly broken or loose?

Any experience of this out there?

Pat.

Those rivets were almost certainly stressed and ultimately broken by the front springs wobbling on their shackles, transfering side-to-side movement to the frame ends.

The place I'd look for similar damage is foreward of the large front crossmember.

PS you mentioned "new" springs. Re-arced or really new? And did you install spring covers ("gaiters" perhaps in your neck of the woods)?

If you were getting enough torsional stress to break those rivets, in addition to Dave's advice, I would also check the rivets on the x-member mid car. I would also check the body bolts and engine mounts for looseness.

Pat's fortunate that by 1934 they no longer used the engine casting as the front frame crossmember. Welding those old aluminum castings is something that requires a real specialist.

The springs are from a 34' Standard, a limo I believe. They have 11 leafs compared to the 10 on mine.

I put them straight on, they are nicely firm and level. The came equipped with gaiters, a light metal covering crimped over with a 'cloth' wrapped around the leafs underneath.

Should these leafs be lubed? I have several different opinions on this.

Pat.

Sounds right to me, the springs were originally wrapped in something like burlap or coarsely woven canvas and then covered with the steel covers which are there to keep the dirt out and the lubricant in. They get lubricated via the Bijur system simply by some of the oil from the shackles running down the underside of the main leaf and into the spring. No other lubrication should be necessary, though the springs were originally packed with lubricant when assembled as new. If you diassembled them before installing and put them together dry, then I'd use an oil can and some 50-weight oil and try to get some oil into them thru small openings in the gaiters.

The ride quality may be a bit harsher with the 7-passenger springs on a 5-passenger car, but perhaps with your use of the car it's just as well.

With the running gear of your car apparently so neglected over the years, have you checked the shock absorbers? If allowed to run dry of hydraulic oil for much time internal damage will occur which is VERY expensive to repair. For many years I've used Mobil's Hydraulic Oil DT24 (SAE10) to refill them, or if they leaked just a bit, DTE-25 (SAE20). Drop the link, fill to the bottom of the fill plug, and work the arm up and down to expell any air and until you feel uniform resistance throughout the movement. You could also use hydraulic jack oil.