Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

All,

I need suggestions on how to approach this situation. Shall I push the car off a cliff or shall I jump myself? No use swearing anymore, BUT can any of you provide advise on this problem? Yes, I was putting on the last of the new shocks I purchased at Kanter and snap! #$%&&^@*(*&%^$

Looking at the stud, it appears that the larger shoulder is welded in place to the long support arm that interacts with the leveler and not removable. I have a parts car if push comes to shove, BUT I'm again working around the dreaded torsion system again. Today is the first day in a long time that I've questioned why I had to have a torsion car? Yes, I'm feeling blue.

Thoughts appreciated.

Kevin
Tucson

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Two more pics!

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Why did it snap off???? Were u trying to remove the nut????

Cut the narrow broken ppart off flush with the shoulder. Center punch the shoulder and drill it and tap it for something like a 1/4, 5/16 or 3/8 (at the max) bolt. Drill it only deep enuf to tap it for 150% of the bolt diameter.


GET SOME 10W30 ON THOSE TERRIBLE looking rubber insulators. They are nearly too far gone as it is.

Perfect advice on the repair of the broken stud, but please don't put any motor oil on the rubber parts. Only very specialized rubber compositions (like valve stem seals)aren't deteriorated by motor oil. There are specialized rubber lubricants, or use a silicone grease or spray.

Certainly, rubber products should not be soaked or exposed to oil or grease for extended periods of time. HOWEVER, i have repeatedly coated/wiped/cleaned nearly every rubber part on many various older vehicles over the years with superb results. The rubber around the windows and door seals were getting hard and beginning to show some cracking on my original Executive some 8 years ago when i bought it. Over the last 8 years i've mopped 10W-30 on them maybe once every two years and they are now relatively pliable and new looking.
In fact, doing so is a very time consuming job. I've tried all of the silicones and rubber dressings and polishes but they seem to be only a temprary cosmetic improvement. Again. i've used the 10W-30 for many years across many different application and NEVER with any negative results and on things that i have owned for many years and even decades.

THe 10W-30 seems to be the best. Streight weight engine oil or 20w-50 or 10-40 none seem to be as effective as the 10w-30 when applied at temps above 70 degrees F.

Keith....it snapped off because I didn't give full regard to the (52) years of rust etc. underneath and simply rushed things by not using PB blaster. I used a bigger wrench (wrong idea in retrospect), with a longer reach and learned a valuable lesson along the way!

I plan on removing the support arm from my 55 parts Patrician and doing a swap out. Today, I crawled under the parts Patrician and soaked nuts with PB Blaster and went to town using a wire brush. No mishaps thus far. I got the sway bar bushing and nut off this time without snapping things. I also loosen the 'U' bolts from the axle.

I'll be replacing all bushings with a call to Steele tomorrow.


Attached are some more pictures of the situation underneath my 400.

Kevin
Tucson

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Update:

Damn it's grand to have a parts car! My friend Tom & I were able to remove the support arm from the 55 parts Patrician and replace it onto my 400 today. While there of course we replaced all old bushings with new ones purchased from Steele Rubber.

Take a look at the some pics.

Kevin
Tucson

PS - next week we plan on removing the other side so all bushing can be changed out over there too.

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Kevin.
Wwhat ever become of our ole' buddy Craig anyway???? Havn't seen him post anywhere in a long time. Hope he's not not still angry with ME over all the ruckus i caused over at the AACA site several months ago.
Too bad he can't forgive and forget .

I think Craig's pissed at me. He won't return any of the e-mails that I have sent him. Too bad, I consider him a great friend, and an awesome mentor. I do truly miss him.

O' CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN!!!!!

Keith & Eric,

Craig is ok. He's still in Nevada and we speak regularly. He's busy with Pontiacs again and writing programing for software products. The guy is always into something!

Kevin