M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

1952 - 1968, M38A1, M170, questions, discussions, regarding anything related to the M38a1 series.
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SHYBOY
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by SHYBOY » Wed May 01, 2013 6:17 am

Joel; I can easily find out if it's a soft spring by just switching the two front springs. If it makes no difference it's not the springs.. If it does lean to the other side I can get one new spring and it will match ONE of the other two. I'm still "working on it" . Not in a rush as it runs great.
Thanks to all of you for the suggestions.
Peter
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SHYBOY
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by SHYBOY » Wed May 01, 2013 5:34 pm

I am purposely posting this "Eileen" problem as, it appears, it is fairly common. I have come up with three solutions... I would have sent PMs to Joel and Marty, but, I think other members can benefit from my "quest"... Raising the body a bit on the low side would work but the other two ideas really address the problem directly. Solution # 2 is to make a channel shaped strong steel bracket the "wraps" over the area where the front of the front spring attaches to the frame. I would use the existing spring bolt hole for one of the bracket bolts, drill another hole above the existing spring connection for a strong 2 bolt connection to the frame.. The new bracket would be longer and a third hole would be added to the bottom of the new bracket to attatch the spring to. This would, basically lower the spring attatchment point on the low spring and raise that side.
THIRD choice.... EASIEST.. If I put a shim under the front axle on the low side it would lower it MORE... Ok.... I intend to try various shims on the HIGH side... This should LOWER the high side to match the "Eileen" side.

Any comments on choice #3?
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by gpw6335 » Thu May 02, 2013 7:19 am

Take springs out and take it to a place that can bend the springs or rearch them.I have had this done before. Check out a place that repairs springs.
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by Marty, SoCal » Thu May 02, 2013 11:31 am

Choice number three is the factory CJ TSB solution, a lowering shim on the high side, rear. I'll try to find it in my 1980's Jeep Factory TSB book and post it.

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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu May 02, 2013 1:02 pm

I would check for a twisted frame before placing thick number of shims under the axles.
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by SHYBOY » Thu May 02, 2013 2:55 pm

Thanks for the last three answers..
GPW... It would be far easier to switch front springs ( left to right) and see if it dropped the other side, If so; that would prove the weak spring and I could get another from the supplier.

Marty; thanks as that was where I was headed....

Joel: I will have the frame checked to make sure I am not missing the most correct step...

At this point I am "over and out" . I will look into a shim in the next couple of weeks and let you know.

Thanks to all

Peter
If it weren't for pickpockets, I'd have no sex at all.. Rodney Dangerfield

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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by SHYBOY » Tue May 21, 2013 4:29 pm

EILEEN NO LEAN NO MORE....
I had a 3/4" and a 1/2" shim made up for the high side. I tried the 1/2" on the rear and it leveled out the entire Jeep; front and rear.. The shims were really cheap. Remember, the front was a 1" difference and the rear 1/2" difference. All I had to do was have 2 8" U BOLTS made up.. They were cheap also.

I will attach a picture.. If anybody wants to see close ups and the result, just send me a PM with your email address. :D
20130521_142725.jpg
20130521_142725.jpg (60.8 KiB) Viewed 1328 times
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:35 pm

Anyone heard from SHYBOY? Been over a year.
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HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by Joe Gopan » Wed May 06, 2015 10:44 pm

No one?
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HONOR GRAD-WHEELED VEHICLE MECHANIC SCHOOL 1960 - US ARMY ORDNANCE SCHOOL(MACHINIST) ABERDEEN PG 1962 - O-1 BIRD DOG CREWCHIEF - 300,000+TROUBLE FREE M-38A1 MILES
LIFE MEMBER AM LEGION-40/8-DAV
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Re: M38 A1 4 NEW SPRINGS ALL AROUND.. NOT LEVEL

Post by FrankenJeep » Sun May 24, 2015 5:15 am

Ben Dover wrote:Drive it for a while to see if they limber up. The leaves sort of slide as the springs flex. Do not discount a slight twist in the chassis frame.
That could well be, especially if a previous owner mistreated the Jeep. All that ditch jumping, extreme frame-twisting maneuvers you see on TV, can have a very bad effect on the frame. My jeep was subjected to bad owners, and when I got it, the right front spring was "cocked" so that it wasn't centered on the shackle. There's no apparent visual abnormality w/ the frame, and the spring hasn't moved out of place on the axle, but the spring end looked like it could come off the shackle--which worried me. So I replaced the shackle. That helped a lot, but the spring end STILL wants to 'sit' a bit to the right. Now, there's no likelihood of the spring getting off the shackle. The jeep sits level, tho! 8) and ol' Willis the Willys is now "spoiled" :lol: I promised him I would not do stupid things, 'make' him endure extreme stuff! And he has a heated and cooled garage from which he can 'look out' upon the world (when the door is open, of course!), and "snooze" thru cold winter nights! HA! :lol:
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