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I am going to repaint the steering column, I got everything apart except getting the shroud off. So, looking at the picture you can see the bracket that the shroud, gear selection pointer, and turn signal mechanism all mount to, with the steering column in the center and the gear selector column on the right.

I have searched the service manual but so far coming up empty. Anyone have any tips on how that bracket comes off, so I can pull the shroud off?

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The bracket is welded to the tube surrounding the shaft. To remove the shroud the entire tube and shroud assy has to be removed from the car. If the gearshift is still attached it comes off too. Once out and clips and brackets holding the shift mechanism are free the shroud will slide down the tube and off.

To remove the assy, disconnect the gearshift lever and anything else attached to coiumn at the bottom, remove the toe plate and remove pedal tops or move power brake and pedal out of the way as necessary. Disconnect the turn signal and indicator light wiring and loosen and remove the clamps under the dash edge. Once that is all free, there is a clamp at the base of the tube at steering box which has to loosen. Once loose the tube assy will slide up and off.

There is a possibility the assy will hit the headliner so it may be necessary to loosen the steering box bolts and remove a couple so the shaft can drop down slightly

Ouch, well then it'll get done in place then. Thanks for the speedy answer Howard!

Next question - how is the windshield wiper switch held into the shroud, there is a nut on the outside that screws onto the switch but once I removed that it still isn't loose. Is there some kind of rubber grommet or something still holding it?

Not that I recall but there is a gasket listed so maybe rubber -- and it is tight in the shroud. I can't remember how close the tube over steering shaft is to the wiper assy. It may be so close that the tube is preventing movement. Possibly you will have to remove the clamps at dash edge so the shroud can tilt or shift over slightly. There may also be some tape around the assy to protect the turn signal wires from being caught when pulled thru.

If I recall correctly, if the wiper assy does come out even with clearance It can be a royal pain to get the assy rotated and positioned to get the shaft back in the hole. IMO, not one of Packards finest thoughts.

I might have to pull it apart after all then, I goofed up something in the wiper switch taking the knob off, tried turning it instead of pulling and now it acts like it's stripped internally and won't move the (previously perfectly working) cable. So I'll have to repair my craftsmanship, happens occasionally.

I see how that all comes apart, as you described Howard. Actually shouldn't be so bad, and it will make me clean up and shine up all those parts I was ignoring. I'll make sure to measure everything before I disassemble, so I don't mess up the linkages when it goes back together.

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