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

The springs carried under the axle is an unusual arrangement.

I did some more research and the tie rod on a '36 Senior car evidently is purposely bent. It is also interesting that it is larger in the middle and tapers. I am not sure you can rotate it. It would be tight.

These are from another car.

Being "bent", the tie rod has to be made much stronger than would be necessary if it was straight. I doubt if it can be rotated. One of the tie rod ends would have to be disconnected from the spindle body. Even if it could be rotated, it would have to be turned in full revolutions, which would complicate getting a precise adjustment. I'm guessing the procedure for adjusting toe-in would consist of disconnecting the tie rod end opposite the drag link and making the adjustment there. That should keep the steering wheel and steering box gears on-center with the car headed straight ahead. If not, both tie rods ends might have to be adjusted, if there is no adjustment at the drag link. Some Packard cars had a "kick shackle" on the driver side front spring. That would need to be in good order for the car to steer as it should.

Very good points Goat, thanks. I will work on this from the passenger tie rod end.

I agree that with the bent rod it certainly isn't the candidate for turning so begs the question why the brief adjustment procedure mentioned in Motors Manual makes no mention of anything needing to be removed or disconnected so it could be the item turning and why they made the procedure sound so easily done.

Aftermarket manuals like Motors, Clinton, Haynes, Dykes, etc in almost all instances usually just copies and expands or clarifies what the mfg suggests. Would be very interested in knowing if Packard explained the procedure in an earlier manual with as much - or even any - detail as they did for the 120 and later Safe-T-Flex suspension models.

Maybe another case of what seems to be a Packard philosophy of "We have done it this way for years so no need to go over it again" or "The older mechanics already know how to do it and the newer ones can ask the older ones for help".

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AKA the steering, rear axle, etc. sections in the V8 manual that have next to no photos and only the most concise instructions since the stuff hadn't materially changed since like 1940. Annoyingly, the 51 manual is noticeably better... you wouldn't think to read it though. Found this out very late when working on my 55.