Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Time to hit the hay here, but I may venture out in the car tomorrow and see what happens.....less steep hill the opposite direction for the first half mile and then I could use the hand brake if necessary.

Probably need to check the MC fluid level. That fluid has to be going somewhere and i'm sure it's not on the floor or u'd notice.

Are u running a remote fill reservoir kit????

U've never had any trouble with your 55 Pat?????? The unit on the 55 Pat has never been serviced????

FYI to everyone. According to my 56 and 63 Motors Manuals there are 2wo different TV unit designs. The second design came out in 55. Apparently, or as far as i can tell thus far the design change was only in t he vacuum booster. They both go by different names that i will ahve to relay later on.


Randy. When u remove the unit just send it back to the service provider that did the rebuild. BUT definately measure how much fluid, if any, that u can pour out of the vacuum booster. Lets see what the rebuilder has to say and i'd pin him down on it for specific causes and analysis. He ought to repair it free and should give some specific technical reason for the failure. I'm fully confident that YOU have made no errors.

Of course it's your car, u can handle it any way u see fit. Just please keep us posted.

According to my 56 and 63 Motors Manuals there are 2wo different TV unit designs.

I guess we know there are 4 or so different TreadleVacs used by Packard between 1952 and 1956 and they are identified by a stamped letter-number combination at the end of the hydraulic unit? Like P-1, P-2, P-3, P-4, etc. Though I did know at one point I don't recall exactly what the differences are. Units used by Lincoln, Mercury, etc. have their own unique markings as well.

Master Cylinder fluid reservoir full and clean. No leakage. I always check the lines, the hoses, the wheel cylinders, and under the car. Keith, I had the '55 Patrician unit exchanged a few years ago and that was the second rebuild/exchange since I've owned the car which is about ten years. The reservoir on it as well as the '55 Clipper Super and the '53 Clipper Deluxe all have to be replenished several times a year and that's generally well under 1000 miles a year for any one of them. All my units were rebuilt by Ed Strain but of course anything can happen with a mechanical device. This particular unit was exchanged about 6 years ago. I'm pretty sure Ed doesn't rebuild the unit you send him, but exchanges it for one off the shelve...his ad in HMN I believe even states that. No remote fillers used. As a side story, for about a year or so my '55 Clipper Super brake pedal had "squishing" sounds bu the brakes were good and eventually the sound went away. I did venture out today in the Clipper Custom and the brakes seemed ok even down the hills for about an 8-miles drive with several stops. But the brake pedal contunued not to return...however as I pulled into the driveway it and played around a little with the pedal, it seemed to be getting easier to pull up. It was very difficult to pull up by hand previously but this afternoon was easier. Plate pretty full this weekend but I hope to find time to check it out. By the way, is the pedal bracket held on by cotter keys? When the carpet was done at the upholstery shop, there is a hole just large enough for the bracket but not the pedal.

I suspect something has happened to that big spring in the unit. I'm wonderinf if it is somehow caught on that vaccum tube that sits just inside the back of the unit. That will be the first thing I try to look at....to not disturb it too much that I cannot see if that is the case. That's a big spring to fail under not really a whole lot of travel.

I cannot recall if there is a lubrication fitting or port for the piston? On my '55 Studebaker President there is a whole for introducing neets foot type oil.

Don't believe there is a port but the service manual does say some of the items can be serviced without removing the unit from the car including the return spring by just removing the toe board.

IIRC the front plate of unit is held on by a couple of tabs that are folded over the canister. Once that plate and the vacuum connection is removed, the entire piston can be pulled out. Would recommend tying up the unit with something so excess weight or twist is not put on tubing.

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Properly its neat's-foot oil, not neets foot. An odorless, pale-yellow oil obtained from boiling the feet and leg bones of cattle. As noted, great for softening leather. However, like many natural products it changes with time, temperature and use. A product like Mobil's Vacuum Pump oil may give better long-term lubricating properties though it's not a leather-softener.

No external lubrication provision on TreadleVacs I've looked at.

Re: "front plate of unit is held on by a couple of tabs that are folded over the canister. Once that plate and the vacuum connection is removed, the entire piston can be pulled out." Yes, it's those tabs that bother me....anytime there is a tab that has to be bent, it is subject to fatigue and fracturing off. But I'll be as careful as possible.

It appears from that attached jpg contents that I should be able to get to most of this subject area for inspection with a little perserverance.