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

Simple question. On a 1936 Senior car, is the toe in adjusted by taking the tie rod ends out of the taper and screwing them in and out on the tie rod ?

I think the tie rod ends are left and right hand thread. To adjust toe in, you simply rotate the tie rod. Most vehicles have a clamp at each tie rod end to lock the adjustment. I'd check the appropriate shop manual in this site's Literature Archive for procedures and specifications for your particular car.

Pretty sure you rotate 15.200. Loosen the clamps first.

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/parts ... lateNumber=2432&partslist=1935-1941

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An interesting question. Packard went to some effort in describing the Safe-T-Flex suspension in the 35 all model service manual someone labeled as good for use in all 32-36 models but seems to have kept info for the seniors, both 8 and 12 models a secret. They described how to do toe in and all the other front end adjustments on a 120 with the Safe-T-Flex but no mention of the senior one piece or solid front axle setups other than a list of symptoms for all models and what items to check. Details for the front adjustments in senior cars must be in one of the earlier manuals not on site.

If the 37 senior front axle setup is similar or the same as 36 then on page 48 in the 37 all models combined SM there is an illustration and brief description on how to do toe in on a 37 super eight.

EDIT: Motors Manual doesn't give much detail or any illustrations either so it must not be too involved.

Here is the front suspension. Leaf springs and a beam axle.

What concerned me is that the tie rod is bowed and I don't think it is accident damage. It looks like it was on purpose.

Looks like it is bent for clearance.

I'm pretty sure the tie rod is supposed to be dead straight****. It looks like the springs have lost their arch and that the rubber bumpers on the frame have decayed. That may allow the axle assembly to come too close to the frame when driving over bumps or dips, which could allow the tie rod to strike the oil pan or some other part of the car. (Or maybe not!)

****NOTE: There is one illustration in the 1935 shop manual that shows a partial view of the front axle assembly. It looks much like the one in the picture above, and it does appear to show the tie rod installed like the one in the picture above, and it looks to have a distinct bow in it. I suppose that each tie rod end would have to be taken loose and adjusted to give the correct toe in and to center the steering.

That is an interesting shape for the rod and someone else will have to say if it is bent or should be shaped that way.

The only written bits I could find on senior adjustment in any of the books says nothing about removing or disconnecting the end sleeve but this illustration of the knuckle side from the 33-36 senior eight parts manual sure doesn't look like anything but the rod is meant to turn. If that is the case I don't see how it could adjust without being straight or else disconnecting something. Is the part circled in red attached to a stabilizer bar. I couldn't see enough in your photo to know what it is doing.




Since both the illustrations shown for all 33-36 senior eight cars in the parts manual are essentially the same except for numbers maybe someone will have a 33 or 34 SM that will have something more on the procedure.

The shop manual pic appears to match the photograph. That's an unusual arrangement. I believe the red circled part connects to the drag link.

On my 1931 the steering rod has a dip to it as well.

Circled area. It is there to avoid hitting the oil pan




And yes not the easiest to adjust the toe-in/out. You have to pull the tie rod end out from the steering knuckle in order to make the adjustment.