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So the new project is the front end rebuild of my 120, she's a bit sloppy when driving which is to be expected with her age. Is a kit made with everything I need or do I need to purchase a bushing kit separate from idler arm etc... Please advice me on any additional part you might recommend while I'm doing this rebuild. Is their any special tools I needed?

Kanter has a complete front end kit for your car. As for special tools, you will need (or should use) a spring compressor.

Cheers,

Tom

Depending on individual fitting and parts available you may have to burnish and ream the king pin bushings. Otherwise, with the exception of rebuilding a steering gear box, front end service is pretty basic and straight forward. I agree with Tom that rather try to make do with chains and tackle or other methods, you have access to a spring compressor.

I just finished rebuilding most of the front suspension on my 115. The Kanter kit is good, it comes with inner bushings, torque arm bushings, upper wheel control bushings, lower wheel control bearings, a king pin kit, and outer tie rod ends.

Here are my lessons learned:

- Follow the procedure in the shop manual to disassemble the coil. Installation is the reverse. I initially rented a spring compressor for the job, but did not use it. Because of the frame to upper spring mount clearance, a spring compressor is nearly impossible to use. I simply put a long 3/8" bolt through one hole of the support arm inner bushing and compressed the spring with a floor jack.

- You will probably need to get a center post rebuild kit at the same time you order your front end kit.

- The kit doesn't come with inner tie rod ends or the cup and cone ball bearings on the intermediate arm. Not sure if Kanter has them; I'm currently trying to source the cup and cone ball bearings from my local parts store. The inner tie rod ends look like an easy part to find at any local store.

- I didn't rebuild the king pin or lower wheel control arm bearings as mine were tight, so no observations there.

- The torque arm ball recommends soap water to ease installation. I tried this, didn't have much luck, and instead used a very small amount of silicone grease.

Good luck!

As is industry standard ( and we were the first to offer
Front End Kits in 1980), inner tie rod ends are not included as they were less than outers and often are not needed. NO they are not available locally, while many tie rod ends LOOK similar, so do pistons but they have different specs. We sell the inners also

The cup/cone berings on the center steering arm are not cup/cone but bicycle ball and race and have been obsolete over 60 years. I see you have referred to the "center post" bearings also, are those not the same thing??

King pin bushings ALWAYS NEED REAMING as they are a crush fit when pressed in.

A shaved Ivory soap bar works well for inner lube of the TA BAll and for assembly, it's in the Service Letters

Spring compressor is not needed, follow instructions above

Agreed, spring compressor not needed. I just set my jack stands in the proper areas and let the car down.

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Just ordered from Kanter a front end rebuild kit, idler arm bushing, window felts, window channels ect.. here comes the worst part waiting for the parts to get here...



Thanks guys... I'm sure I'll be asking more questions as soon as they come in...


Warm Regards


Jamie Alexander

Did you order a center steering link as well? I would be surprised if that's not worn out, or altogether frozen. Most are.

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Fred,

I misspoke regarding the cup and cone bearings. What I was referring to are the rod ends linking the drag link to the pitman arm and also to the intermediate arm, not the bearings in the intermediate arm. In my hurry, I misread the service manual.

No offense intended to your company by referring to the lack of inner tie rod ends, merely stating a fact. I've sent a lot of money your way since buying my car a few short months ago, and will continue to do that in the future. I've actually really appreciated your company's customer service.

That being said, quit being so jumpy! No one really likes getting yelled at, even on the internet.

I do agree that tie rod ends are all different, like pistons, but often times one can cross-reference a tie rod end out of a MOOG book or similar and get the same or better performance. Unlike a piston, where you are dealing with reciprocating mass, thermal cycles, and the compression developed inside a combustion engine, a tie rod end has three jobs in life:

- Provide sufficient angular motion to not cause suspension binding
- Be of sufficient material construction (based on material and design) such that it survives the life of the car and does not fail catastrophically
- Bolt into existing suspension components and not have any clearance issues.

Opinions are like a lot of other things, everyone has one. Just my while trying to pass along some recent experiences.

To All,

Sorry if I sounded like I was yelling, I'm not. Just stating things clearly and concisely. Yes pistons have many variables but so do tie rod ends. The number system starts at about 3 or 4 and goes over 1000, including center links.
Yoiu may have forgotten about low taper dimension/high taper dimension and taper angle. It's not as easy as it seems and I do not believe dimension chars are pubished by the manufacturers.

I do not believe there are rod ends linking the pitman arm/drag link/center steeriing arm to the, which is a nice way of my saying there ain't any of thems. The drag link is adjustable, suggest yoiu remove the plug in the end, diassemble, clean, check for broken springs (we have them), grease and reassembgle for another 70 years of easy Packard steering. I hve never seen one frozen, in fact if it were frozen the car could not steer at all.

Besides just bolting in without clearance issues the tie rod end must fit exactly into the taper without any movement or it may shear. The stud must project far enough for the cotter pin to retain the castle nut,

As far as being jumpy, many of these forums get so far off the truth and substance of a problem , it's like fighting a brush fire to set things straight. I'm fortunate to have 50+ years experience and I'd like to share it with other owners. I'd call my responses "enthusiastic"