Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Craig,
If I end up installing the electric bbst I'll document the process and problems.

In this threadhttp://forums.aaca.org/f134/1953-packard-mayfair-272565.html on the AACA Packard Forum in Post #3 is this statement "One thing to look out for is the Bendix Treadlvac power brake system. If it decides to fail it will do so instantly with no warning, leaving you with no brakes at all. So make sure the handbrake is working perfectly.The Packard club is working on a bolt in replacement for the Treadlevac which should be available soon."

QUote from above post:

"If it decides to fail it will do so instantly with no warning, leaving you with no brakes at all. "

THis falls into the "No shit Sherlock" category. AND NOONE EXPLAINS WHY!!!! There is a reason for it.

Altho i am not down on the BTV as hard as most former owners are, the fact that it can fail to a complete and total ZERO brake effect with no warning is due to its fundemental design. NO, it has nothing to do with the BTV as a single line cylinder either.



Last part of this post edited to remove mis-information obtained from above post.

The Packard club is working on a bolt in replacement for the Treadlevac which should be available soon."

Regarding this statement taken from the AACA forum and repeated here, if "The Packard club" means "The Packard Club" aka PAC, PAC informs me that there is no truth to that statement. Perhaps there is some other Packard club that is undertaking this.

EDIT - or perhaps the person on AACA forum that offered the information saw the exchanges on this website and assumed that this site or the people involved represented The Packard Club.

Since only a very, very small minority of Treadle Vacs were on Packards, should any club consider taking on a project like this, perhaps it should be a multi-make club like AACA - after all they've got 10 times or more the members and resources, represent all the other makes of cars that used the unit, and are no doubt in a better position to take on the product liability issues that would be involved.

Hey all,Great info you are digging up on BTV replacements.Needed to be done. However there seems to be other Issues that may make your efforts meaning less.Read on.I hope they download.

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Quote:
<p>WRT breaking torsion bars and breaking steering components: Has anyone on this board had such an experience? I think these "issues" as posted are a red herring (def: a deliberate attempt to divert an argument). I've read about them before, but I never had these problems NOR have I ever communicated with any Packard owner who has had them. OTOH, reports of problems with BTV, including immediate catastrophic failure, are plentiful.</p>
<p>Craig</p>

THe steering knuckles are forgeings. Forgings usually will BEND a lot (wide distance) before they break.

Quote:
<p>Yeah, Keith, that's my point. Has ANYONE ever had one break?</p><p>Craig</p>