Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Anyone have a good way to remove the inner control arm bushings. They are press fit into the control arm. I poked at them a bit but thought I would ask if any had a neat way to remove them before I started trying to devise a way to remove them without ruining the control arm. Thanks.

First - what year is your Patrician? Are your referring to the upper or lower control arm bushings? If you have a V8 (55-56) then the inner lower control arm bushings are probably A-ok. A very knowledgeable Packard friend says he has never seen a bad lower bushing in the senior cars. The upper ones do go bad and require replacing.

Ooops It's a 56 . The upper/inner are the ones that seem bad. all the rubber is cracked and broken.

I'm assuming you have a 55-56 shop manual?? If not, go buy one for around $50.00 and come back after you have studied the procedures.
You need to either chain up the T/L link or borrow the tool that holds the link up so that you can safely remove the upper control arm. The bushings are available as they are the same as 53 Lincoln. They must be pressed out and the new ones pressed in. This requires a hydraulic press and you must be careful how you press them out and the new ones in. If you bend the upper control arm, you are SOL.
Still willing to try?

You'll need at least a 2 ton arbor press or a hydraulic press. I used a 2 ton arbor press to press in the new bushings but had to use a cheater bar and a lead hammer on the ram of the press.

Do u already have the bushings and where did u get them.
What about the lower control arm bushings, do u plan to replace those too???

If you dont want to buy a shop manual, then you can download from the articles area on the website:

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/article/view.article.php?119

Already have a shop manual. Have all the presses I need. I already removed the T/L system. The control arms are sitting on my bench. I have not purchased new ones yet but will probably replace all of them (top and bottom) while I have them off. I was thinking of buying the front end kit from kanter but Max Merrit has the bushing.

packardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/parts/searchform.php?PartDesc=control+arm

Whatever bushing u buy let us know before u install it.

Why is that? Because you're curious or because it matters?

The manual indicates that "Two types of upper support arms are used in the Packard Suspension systems. The one type incorporates rubber bushings at the inner end of the arm and are not replaceable. On cars equipped with this type of upper arm, the arm and pivot bracket is replaced as an assembly" This is the type I have but the bushings seem to be for sale and thus are replaceable. The problem is that the bushings are pressed in with the shaft already installed. When setting it up in the press the only thing to push on is the shaft. If the shaft was removed this would be a trivial job. I just popped out the garage to look again and I noticed that one end of the shaft has some tabs that may be wide enough to catch the inner part of the bushing. Seems that if I do press on the shaft hard enough to compress the rubber part of the bushing the the tabs will push against the bushing. So I guess maybe the real question is has anyone ever pressed on out this way? My press is plenty big enough to do this.