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problem solved:

i used my old bolt, cleaned up the threads on the side that i cut off. i took the spacer out of the hole and ground off the same amount that i cut off the bolt. made sure it was flat and put it back. this allowed it to squish more on the side that i cut the bolt on.

now i have about 3-4 threads showing from both sides of the bolt i cut. the other bolt on the passengers side has about 4-5 threads showing, so i am good to go now. i also used thread locker on the one i cut just to make sure.

everything went back together very easily and looks fine now. thanks for all your help and for sending me the bolt to give it a whirl.

let this be a lesson to everyone...don't mess up your u-bolts! they are apparently a rare bread to find the right one! LOL!

do you want me to ship back the bolt you sent me???

thanks,

Hank

packardv8 i do a lot of diesel work, no cross references yet, but i will keep my eyes out!

Has anyone tried truck spring shop? The local one here can do light single axle trailers to tractor trailers. They bend for application,length,tube size and bolt diameter. Maybe not stock but new and safe.

if you think about half the hardware i am putting back on has been on there for nearly 60 years....so i am pretty sure they will be good to go, at this point i am not that concerned. it is back together now, so moving to the front suspension....YEAH!

A good local truck shop should be able to bend new custom u bolts of almost any type as long as you have sample.

I worked part-time at a local truck shop some years ago and made a new set of u bolts for my 53 Packard. While working there I made a lot of custom u bolts for customers that brought samples in.

John F. Shireman

should have a rolling chassis by the end of next week. i plan to take it to Salado to show off my work and to demonstrate the torsion suspension in operation.

Michael is comming over this weekend and we are going to wind up the bars with the factory tool. also i ordered the rest of the bushings i need for the front suspension. everything else will just be cleaning and painting.

i am not going to beable to get the rims done, so i will just clean them the best i can and use them that way. i was hoping to get them clean, painted, and have the bias ply tires mounted, but i think that will be stretching it a bit before next saturday.

so, if any of you are going to be there on Saturday i hope to have my rolling chassis there to show off.

see you guys there either way.

later,

Hank

torsion bars are wound up. THANK YOU MICHAEL FRANKO! YOU DA MAN!!! i had a great time getting to use the authentic packard tool that Michael got recently and learning which ways to do things and which ways not to and then trying to remember that when we did the opposite side. the service manual leaves much to be desired is all i can say.

i have pictures of the whole thing, i will post them shortly.

i have the inner bushings out on the upper control arms and they are soaking in degreaser right now. all the small parts are in the sand blasting cabinet awaiting my arrival. i will start to take out the lower inner bushings shortly too.

i think i might just have this thing good to go before next Saturday!

again, Michael, YOU DA MAN!!

looking forward to see the pics.

Congratulations! Very glad to hear you have gotten the Tbars wound up and in place. And a tip of the hat to Mr Franko.

got the car down on the ground now. i cleaned up the part of the rims that touches the drums and painted that part only as i decided to go ahead and just through on the hubcaps on the front. the rear is back down on the tires now.

i had to buy a brass drift too, thank you Northern Tool for that had to to punch out the small bars, which was easy thank God!

also i threw in some pics of my new double pump jack. i don't know why i just like to show off new toys i guess.

I went ahead and repaired all the paint damage that occurred during the process as well. which was easier than i thought it would be.

i put the ends of the upper arms and lower arm i worked on in the jug-o-degreaser to soak overnight to loosen the gunk on the ends of them. i also measured the distance at the ends of the upper arms and they were 8 1/16th. but i have to hammer them back that way a bit. i got lucky and got them back into spec. i was surprised at how easy they were to spread a bit. guess the metal is softer than it looks. oh well, they are good now.

got the new outer bushings on there way here from Max right now. i don't see the need to do anything to the king pins, they seem to be fine.

also, as you can see, my father and i bent up new brake lines for the rear end too. just got some pieces from the auto store, 3/16th, and used the old for patterns. except the smaller line, it looked like it was homemade by hand, so we made it to our own liking when we did the new one and i have to say i like it alot better than the old one. looks alot more professional now.

enjoy the pics, i would write more, but it is late and i am getting up tomorrow again to have another full day of Packard fun.

Michael, THANK YOU! and sorry about that finger....at least it is still attached

later,

Hank

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