56 U-joints - a clarification

["Dick Benjamin" <DickB@xxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know for sure what type of U-joint the 56's may have, as I've never
owned any Imperial prior to 1967.  But I do recall, during the early 70's,
that when I needed new U-joints for any of my senior '51-56 Packards, the
trick was to look for Imperial U-joints, which were then still available.  I
just don't recall for sure which years did interchange, and I know they have
disappeared by now.

There are two sizes of these weird joints, and the smaller of the two sizes
was used on the lesser Packards (Clippers) and the smaller Chrysler
products.

The location in which they are used is at the connection from the automatic
transmission to the driveshaft, in other words, the front U-joint.  To
identify this unit, a quick glance is all it takes.  If it appears to be an
elongated, grapefruit sized housing, bolted to the rear of the transmission
with 4 bolts arranged in a roughly 4 inch diameter pattern, with a rubber
flexible boot (like a modern front drive car's CV boot) covering the area
from the rear of the housing to the front of the driveshaft, you've got the
bad boy there.   In other words, if it looks like nothing you've ever seen
before, that's it!   If it looks like a normal X type joint, or a CV joint,
you should be able to find a replacement, as Rodger pointed out.

If your problem is the center support bearing (if any), or  the rear
u-joint, you've dodged that bullet for now.

Dick Benjamin
----- Original Message -----
From: <Johnemory@xxxxxxx>
To: <mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, April 20, 2002 9:42 PM
Subject: IML: 56 U-joints


> In a message dated 4/20/2002 8:26:19 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
> DickB@xxxxxxxxx writes:
>
>
> > IML: U- joints and other low joints (Was:WelcomI think the 56 may have
the
> > "Detroit" U-joints.  If so, these are identical
> > to the senior Packard Ultramatic U-joints, which have been unavailable
for
> > years.  If this is the problem with Mr. Emory's car, he is probably
going
> > to
> > have to have the car converted to a modern driveline.  There are a
couple
> > of
> > national chains that do this, and they do it very well, but you have to
> > drive the car in or have it towed.  Driveline Services is one I have
used
> > for a couple of my Packards; they do a superb job, and once converted,
you
> > don't have this problem any more.
> >
> > e John Emory '56)
>
> Dick:
> That's just not what I wanted to hear.  But I guess the good news is that
> it's do-able to convert the driveline at all.  I'll look into the
prospects.
> I suspect, though, that the center support is the problem with my
vibration
> problem, and if Lowell Howe has reman units for exchange, I'll try that
> replacement first.  If that doesn't do the trick, then total replacement
is
> the last resort.  Thanks for you expert input.
>
> John Emory
> '56 S'hampton
>
> >
> >
>
>