M38A1 front alignment?

Casey B · #1 09-09-12, 22:49

Well I took the old lady out for a drive...My Jeep! Ha! Anita would kill me if I called her that and I am waaay older anyway.
It was kind of bucking and occilating at the just under 40MPH speed. i know I got it up that high...hehehehe.

Anyways I noticed that the drivers wheel is not straight up and down when veiwed from the front. It is tilted out at the top so the castor is out or is it camber? Anyway it's out so how to adjust it so it is striaght like the right (pass.) side. I didn't see any shims like a Norht American beast has. Although I wasn't looking was I? It drives nice and stright so I know it is not a toe out or in issue.

Any help would be great...

Also have to replace the diffs gaskets. 80 weight gear oil is correct?
And can this also be used to top up the gear baox and the transfer case?

Thanks Casey

rob love · #2 10-09-12, 15:21

80W90 is the oil used in all the gearboxes on your Jeep including the steering box.

There are a pair of bearings on the knuckles of the front axle. Quite common for them to be in bad shape. If bad, they could be the reason why you have a wheel that sits funny. Otherwise, the camber and castor of the front wheels are part of the integral design of the front axle. Caster can be set by using wedges between the spring and the axle, and there are tapered shims that fit between the spindle and the knuckle in order to set the camber, but I have never seen them for the M38A1s.

Best bet is to take it in for an alignment and get their report of the overall condition. Commonly worn items on the jeep steering are the bellcrank, the center link, the knuckle bearings, and the steering box. Get their report and then get ready to do some work. The alignment shop will ot normally be able to set the alignment unless everything is up to scratch. The "death wobble" that everyone talks about on Jeeps is usually attributable to worn parts somewhere.

chris vickery · #3 10-09-12, 16:35

I did a total rebuild of my front end aside from the bearings on the knuckles to make sure that I have a solid front end. The alignment is not too hard to do.

Casey B · #4 13-09-12, 01:00

Thanks Rob and Chris Rob the 80W90 does that include the diffs as well?

Death wobble is the right word for it too was a fun ride till then but calm heads prevailed and she got home...the jeep that is... the wife walked!

rob love · #5 13-09-12, 01:56

Diffs, steering box, transmission and transfer case all use 80W90.

Casey B · #6 08-10-12, 22:53

I noticed the other day while driving and looking at the wheel, the front left wheel has a wobble as it is warped or has a slight buckle. This can't be helping either. I will move that to the spare wheel. Tire Tubes easy to come by or is there a place that is better priced than the Jeep fellows that supply the military stuff? I have 5 newer tires that I can replace the original 1966/67 tires with now.

Casey B · #7 01-11-12, 02:04

Well I got the rear pinion out and the rear of the transfer case drive.
I had to remove the speedo gear assmebly cus there was no way that seal was coming out! I split it 3 places and still nothing so i really didn't want to damage the splines...so off it came. I'll work on the seal on the bench.

The shaft surface has a deffinet grove in it from sitting too long so a speedy sleeve will work.

The rear end is another subject.
I have not seen a seal this small before nor have I ever seen it where the seal is almost on the edge of the pinion shaft...?photos below.

Am I correct in saying that the seal in the diff is only about as round as a 50 cent piece? Red arrow A or the whole large cone shaped end Green arrow B?

I really don't want to to start trying to pull anything out till I know what to expect.

The photo after the one with the arrows is the pinion shaft.

The pinion shaft is a little worn but only the end as it looks like it does not go in that deep...? The cone that is with the shaft was welded at one place and a crude weld at that...?
Was it supposed to be welded to the shaft? And no washer behind the nut either!
Only the rear transfer shaft had a washer.

The next is the obvious seal slaughter!

The last is the rear transfer shaft with the park brake assembly attached. It is the real leaker and will need a sleeve.