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maybe the spacers are side specific and i need to take them out and switch them around. maybe the ones i put on the passenger's side actually belong to the driver's side. i will take apart the passenger's side and put things side by side and see what i can come up with. i will also make sure i exam very carefully how i put them together from side to side.

i will measure the OD of the axle carrier and see what i comes out to.

i guess what i could do if this doesn't work right, i could grind off a bit on the spacers so that it will tighten more. would that not be a viable option??

thanks,

Hank

Making your own U bolts is a good concept but out of WHAT????
Standard round stock or threaded rod from a local hardware store is NOT advisable. Too soft or not strong enuf and will probably break when trying to bend it that much even if heated.

What kind of standard stock to use that would be strong enuf and allow for bending????? I really don't know. Definately have had bad luck with hardware store rod even in much liter duty applications.

OR, to put it another way, what ever stock is used to make the U bolts will have to be AT LEAST as strong as a grade 5 bolt. Or use a U bolt from some other automotive or lite truck application and heat to bend slightly to suit..

Does the parts catalouge call out different U bolts for 55 and 56?????? Maybe 54 and earlier U bolts would work?????

Cli55er.
U work for a Beemer dealer. When u have the BuMWiggles up in the air for service are u constantly looking for parts on those cars that mite retro fit to the Clipper???

Someone else on here is a diesel mechanic. What about those vehicles that come in for service????/ Any parts on them that will retro-fit with minor to no modifications.

don't work for a bimmer dealer. i am an xray tech and work for a hospital. i did all the work on my bimmer myself and have a close relationship with the dealer and the service people. there are no U bolts on the bimmers, not newer ones from the last decade anyways.

when i had to get a new seal for the diff....i had to use the 54 parts catalog. with my car being so early in 55 i bet it is actually a 54 rear end, etc...which might be a different part number than the 55 version. the U bolt is REF in the 55 manual with the schematic of the torsion ride suspension. i will look to see if it is the same in the 54 catalog.

Hank

I've already looked. U bolts different # 47-54 depending on model, spring combination, chassis and axle. 55 all one # and 56 all another. Spacers same 2 3/8 both sides in 56 so expect same in 55.

What kind of standard stock to use that would be strong enuf and allow for bending?????

Certainly NOT hardware store crap, threaded or not threaded! Perhaps oil or water-hardening drill rod, readily available from many sources including MSC Industrial and McMaster-Carr. Or 4140 steel?

HH where did you find the u bolt number for the 47-54 in the manual, i can find a schematic of it either. i looked in section 12 and 15.

i see that the 56 # is different. theoretically mine should be 15.992 and part number 445997.

i wonder if the bolt you send might possible be for a 56 instead of a 55?? just wondering.

are there different part numbers for the metal spacer sleeves between 54 55 and 56. since yours are smaller than mine, i wonder if they are 56 also??

51-4 U bolts-- group 14.106, Don't believe 54 & earlier used the spacer but is a different # for 56 and yes, it is possible & looking more probable that is a 56 bolt.

At this point I don't have any more suggestions other than mentioned above. I don't have anything else except another same bolt and 3 spacers. Stopped by a friends this AM who has lots of Packards & parts -- even he had nothing to offer--but did let me copy a few TP #s for O-D..