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

Hello all. I recently purchased a new dust boot to put on my 1950 Super eight. After cleaning a ton of crud off the transmission. I can see the decayed boot. But I not sure what the procedure is for it's replacement. I looks very hard to get to.

Dave O

The boot is held to the opening in the bellhousing by a length of spring wire formed in the shape of a rectangle that is inserted in a pocket sewn at the large end of the boot. The two ends of the wire are also formed but left exposed at one side of the boot and angled out so you can use them as sort of handles.

To start the removal, disconnect the actuating rod and spring from the holes at the end of the fork so the boot can be removed. Squeeze the ends of the wire together and with some manipulation the boot should release from the bellhousing so you can slide it off the end of the fork.

Now the fun begins. Depending on the condition of the old boot, the wire will either slide or just fall out of the old boot pocket. You need to insert the wire in the new boot and depending on how stiff the material is and how much slack was left in the pocket when the new boot was sewn, it will go in with relative ease or if the pocket is tight, will be a real pain to insert and work all the way around the opening. At best you will only need to resort to strong language a time or two but at worst, you may need cut the thread to open the pocket in a couple of spots.

Once the wire is in the new pocket, slide the boot back over the fork, squeeze the ends of the wire together and place it back over the opening again. Reconnect the rod and spring and just in case any adjustment changed when you disconnected the actuating rod, check the free play etc.

Are you talking about the clutch boot where the arm goes into the bell housing? I have a new one for my 1951 Henney-Packard but cannot see how the wire can be put into it without unstitching it.

Quote:
That is the problem I ran into with one I did and why I told Dave O "now the fun begins".

First one I got was fairly stiff canvas or leather (can't remember which) and I think whoever did the sewing on that one must have closely followed a factory drawing. Another repro I bought had the pocket wider by about 3/16 to 1/4 of an inch -- just wide enough for the wire to slide by except at the corners. The extra pocket width didn't affect the boot fit to the bellhousing but sure made installing the wire easier. As I recall I did need minor tweaks and ripped out one or two stitches at the corners to make a bit more of a diagonal path for the wire end to pass thru.

If you have one of the narrow pocket boots it might almost be worth cutting the stitches and resewing if you have a heavy enough machine. You might lose a bit of overall length but not more than a little over a quarter of an inch I'd say -- but it might need a stitch or two ripped out to make a bit wider opening at the fork end where the rod attaches. Could also take it and the wire to an upholsterer and let him tear it apart and then resew the pocket around the wire which I think was probably the way it was made in the first place to be able to have a narrow pocket.

No sewing machine but it never occurred to me to take it to an upholsterer. I'm not sure if it matters but I would like to put the vertical seam where it was originally so I supposed I'll have to dig out the intact originals that I have somewhere to see if there is an consistency.

Thank you Howard. I'll get at it as soon as I finish getting all the crud off.

Best Wishes
Dave O