Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Check out this little video and let me know what you think. I can't find anything in the Service Manual.

TIA

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RqeWcr6ldjXfnStjrBrgMCMeWheKxYRl/view?usp=sharing

I don't believe that rear bar is Packard original unless it might have been something that was available on a commercial chassis and someone then added it to their passenger car. At any rate it should not be loose and clunking so that is probably the noise.

I suspect the stabilizer bar was more likely an aftermarket item. After the war thru the 50s into the early 60s there were a multitude of "make it better than from the factory" items and quite a few were even available for Packards.

Where and when I grew up having a copy of the latest JC Whitney catalog was almost as important as having gas money. No self respecting teenager could call himself a car guy unless he could talk his parents into adding at least one (usually worthless) JC Whitney item to the family car.

I hadn't thought it might not be original. Looks like original equipment, but if it's not, that would explain why I can't find anything in the service manual.

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That part certainly looks original and almost a copy of the early 5th shock absorber and the later transverse stabilizer bar used thru 50. Might be interesting to clean the grease and dirt off the mount to see if it looks factory or was add on welding. If someone has a 24th or later Henney parts or service book might be interesting to see if it was something available on those models.

I was under the impression that by using wider rear springs they had eliminated the need for the transverse stabilizer so it was dropped with the 24th series. The shock or bar was there to control the rear end side to side movement experienced with earlier narrow springs.

Unlike the front stabilizer bar and previous 5th shock there is no mention of the bar in the 24th series training manual and the 52 and 54 fact books also make no mention of a bar. The fact books stress the wider springs and V shape mounting of them provides the stability. Looking at a photo from the training manual I cannot say if there might be a hint of something below the frame crossover. Other photos of the rear axle and shock absorbers do not show anything obvious.

Factory, aftermarket or another one of those sometimes found mysterious under or undocumented surprises, I doubt it should clunk or move up and down.

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No, no Henney manuals were made as far as I know but this piece is definitely not Henney. They had a full cross-over with linkages stabilizer (I just replaced all the bushing in mine) but nothing like this one and, unfortunately, i don’t recall if my two 1954 Patricians have it or not.

They did away with the 5th shock, but retained a rear track bar on the 127" wheelbase jobs. You can even see the left end of it in the factory photo if you look close.

So tighten your bolts and enjoy the stability.

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Yes, I do see it in the photo that Howard shared.

There is only 1 bolt in it, towards the front of that arm, should there be 2? The bolt that is in it is seized, it's too far from the draft tube! LOL

I gave it shot of penetrating oil and will put a little heat on it to see if I can get it to break free and not just break.

Thanks for the feedback!