Joined: Apr 03, 2005 Posts: 271 Location: Chester County, PA
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:11 am Post subject: Rear Panel - M38A1
Greetings,
I ordered a new rear reproduction panel for my M38A1 body. It has wood in the hat channels. As I'm cutting out the old one, I've noticed that wood is not present in the hat channels.
It seems to me that the wood isnt doing a whole heck of a lot. Infact, the only thing I see it really doing is collecting moisture, allowing the hat channels to rust from the inside out.
So my question is - what is everyones opinion of removing / keeping the wood in the channels on the rear panel? _________________ Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056
You are exactly right. The wood collects moisture ergo causing metal corrosion.
If it is in a location that does not show, I would take it out and place a spacer that would serve the function the wood performed in keeping the hat channel from collapsing as easily.
Unless you are doing a factory restoration that will never see moisture and want to be strictly factory.
How is your restoration going? _________________ Ryan Miller
MVPA # 22010
Joined: Apr 03, 2005 Posts: 271 Location: Chester County, PA
Posted: Sat Nov 19, 2005 1:48 pm Post subject:
Hi Ryan,
its going pretty well!!
Last week I got my chasis to roll (finally - about 2 months later than I wanted it to be). I decided to actually take the time to disassemble, clean up, and replace worn parts in the steering knuckles rather than clean and paint them. Good thing I did! The kingpin bearings were in awful condition. I took them out of the races and they just fell apart. some wheel bearings were shot, and there in general was just a lot of dirt and corrosion. Basically, it looked and functioned like $&%.
I had an issue with the rear passanger side axle I had to fix. And most of the time was taken up by waiting for cash.
But finally, after 1 years worth of work I'm nearly done! Im working on the body now, and I suspect itll be done in december. My body tub isnt a pretty one...definitally got a beating in the Army, but I'll make do with it.
You can see pictures of my restoration so far:
http://hotelkilo.no-ip.org/jeep [Caution: pictures are about 1MB each)
and if youre interested in what it used to look like:
---
Oh, does anyone have a good method for ripping out the back panel? I cant seem to find the spotwelds...theyre pretty hard to find...and Im making a mess cutting this thing out.
And yeah, I think Im gonna just cut this wood out of the new panel. Id much rather have it not corrode than to have a factory original jeep. _________________ Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056
I usually take some 200 grit sand paper or 400 and lightly sand by hand in the area. The deformities of the metal formed during the spot weld manufacture will show up. If there are several coats of paint, you might think about getting the paint removed.
I had my tub lightly sand blasted. I removed several panels at the spot welds. I lightly sanded with 220 or 400 sand paper and it did a good job of revealing most of the spot welds. _________________ Ryan Miller
MVPA # 22010
Use a cut-off wheel to remove the bulk of the panel then come back with a small chisel and pull the parts apart, drill out each spot weld as you find it. Or grind the parts left of carefully...
Joined: Apr 03, 2005 Posts: 271 Location: Chester County, PA
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:44 am Post subject:
Hey GIJOE!
Thanks for the complements!
My rear axles are equiped with positraction and theyre full floating. (The axle / differential housing is still the same though.) Thats why I have the extra hubs on the back. Youre right, this is not normally how M38A1s are. But the hubs on the back are identical to the ones on the front, so I didnt feel too guilty using them. This whole aparatus was installed by the previous owner 25 years ago and was never used. So its almost like brand new!
Actually, mine also has different rear axles. They have a LOT more splines than the original ones. I still have all of the original equipment if I ever wanted to go back, but I like the TruTrack Positraction and Full floating axles.
If you want to do this, its a pretty simple modification! You use the exact same spindle, nuts, washers, bearings, races, and hubs as the front. Keep in mind you need a left and right handed threaded one just like the front, or else your wheel will come off (Its happened, my dad tells stories of wheels flying off of M38A1s because of this). Place the left handed one on the driver side and right handed on the passanger side like the front, and you're set. _________________ Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056
Bob, You welcome! You've done a heck of a job on it!
Thank you for taking the time to explain your set-up for me. I have to agree that's a pretty neat rear diff you have there. I've always thought posti-traction was a cool thing to have, but none of the trucks I've owned ever had it on it. Maybe I can add that to my wish-list for this Jeep, (which is my 1st 4x4).
I'm learning something new all the time, and think I'm starting to get an "eye" for the details.
Thanks again!
_________________ David M.
08/1953 M38A1
Serial #56535
"The Green Goat"
Joined: Apr 03, 2005 Posts: 271 Location: Chester County, PA
Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:50 pm Post subject:
Dave,
To actually get Positraction, you need to replace the differential. Take a look at mine.
This picture was taking before I found out the axle has a problem going in...so I had to pull everything apart...again - after I painted!
Im not sure if you ripped yours apart yet, but it looks closer to this:
(My front differential / diff/axle housing, after rebuilding. Yes I realize paint isnt supposed to get in there. Trust me, i sprayed oil over that ring gear before I painted so the overspray would wipe right off!)
The Positraction Differential I have is called "TruTrack." This particular model was supposed to be one of the best in quality since it didnt have any clutches in it. I have all of the paperwork, reciepts, etc for this jeep and especially for that particular unit. I'm not sure of the availability of it, but hey, if you want the model # to look around for it, I'd be happy to give it to you! Just a word of caution: I *think* you will have to replace the rear axles too with ones that have more splines, and you might be required to go full floating for it. Not sure. But again, I have model numbers and all sorts of information on that particular unit if you want it! _________________ Bob Collins
1954 M38A1 MD79056
Bob, Thanks for the latest post & pictures! That's really cool inside, smf really quite a setup!
To answer your question.... No, my jeep isn't torn apart; it's just sitting. Hopefully Earl will beable to take in 2006 to
restore it for me. _________________ David M.
08/1953 M38A1
Serial #56535
"The Green Goat"
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