If you are not a mechanic or do not understand the steering system then it's best to get one who is familiar with troubleshooting loose steering. If you are a mechanic and you do understand the steering system then I would suggest the following. You will need a second person.
1-Get a strong grip on the steering arm at the steering gear box. Have your assistant try to rotate the steering wheel with one finger making sure you do not actually move the steering arm. About zero to 2" play at rim of steering wheel is ok.
2-with the front axle off the floor have your assistant tie down or anchor the steering wheel straight ahead. Then have him attempt to pivot (left and right) each front tire one at a time while you observe all linkage points for loss of motion. This means starting with the outboard tie rod ends, then the inboard tie rod ends, then the staeering bellcrank and finally the steering drag link. You may have to grasp firmly and prevent from moving adjacent parts so you can better determine what is really loose.
3-Now turn the steering wheel full left. Then while counting wheel revolutions turn it full right. It should have went smoothly without a very noticable change in gear box friction. Now bring the steering wheel back to center (one half of the revolutions you just counted)
4-Disconnect the pitman arm from the drag link. Try to rotate the pitman arm back and forth a short distance. Is if you can feel just the slightest drag on it then it is set fine. If not then adjust as follows. Loosen the lock nut on the cam friction adjusting screw. Tighten the screw until only a slight drag is felt as you move the pitman arm back and forth a very short distance. Now move the pitman arm full travel each way. If it binds towards the end of it's travel in either direction then the cam is worn and must be replaced.
Any loose parts found above should be replaced.
Note: While you have the axle off the floor grab each wheel at the top and bottom and try to rock the wheel top inboard then outboard. If there is noticable movement you will need to adjust the pivot bearing preload. This is the looseness that gives you the death wobble when you hit a bump.
Most of the above info can be found in your TM 9-1804B Ordnance Maintenance Power Train, Body and Frame. M38 _________________ Wes K
45 MB, 51 M38, 54 M37, 66 M101A1, 60 CJ5, 76 DJ5D, 47Bantam T3-C & 5? M100
Joined: Feb 20, 2007 Posts: 606 Location: Illinois
Posted: Sun Apr 05, 2009 11:04 am Post subject: Loose steering
I'm in the middle of rebuilding the steering system on my M38 and have rebuilt the system on my CJ2A/M38 - the M38A1 is next. Wes has a good list of diagnostic proceedures. Best to get a manual and follow through to see where the problems lie. Jeep steering systems are relatively high wear systems - lots of metal on metal contact. Without proper maintenance/cleaning and lubrication parts start to wear and introduce extra "slack" in movement where none should be. In my Jeeps I found the sector shaft in the steering housing to be worn as well as the pitman joints. Round parts had flats worn into them. Also the king pin bearings had very little pre-load. There are no adjustments that you can make that will take the slack out of the system if you don't first replace parts that are worn and tighten the system to specs. Complete dissasembly may be needed but you can then insect/clean/replace/lubricate where needed. Its not a hard job but you will get dirty and it won't get done in an afternoon. Good luck!
Wes, not to hijack this thread, but I was wondering just how far the adjuster nuts(plugs) should be turned in on either end of the drag link...tanx...Wilf _________________ Wilf Alexander
R.R.#1 Bailieboro, Ontario
Canada
1952 M38CDN F-100822 CAR 52-31153
1953 M100CDN 1104 CAR 53-71157
1953 M37CDN
M274A4
(2) 1945 Dodge D3/4 WP/APT
thanks so much Wes!...I have it adjusted close to that, but will make it proper now...Wilf _________________ Wilf Alexander
R.R.#1 Bailieboro, Ontario
Canada
1952 M38CDN F-100822 CAR 52-31153
1953 M100CDN 1104 CAR 53-71157
1953 M37CDN
M274A4
(2) 1945 Dodge D3/4 WP/APT
Joined: Jun 14, 2006 Posts: 226 Location: Wijnegem Belgium Europe
Posted: Thu Apr 09, 2009 5:57 am Post subject:
one experience, my M38 two years ago I had sometimes the ‘wobble’ effect. After checking the whole system, I only had ½ inch playing at rim of steering wheel. Belcrank rollers replaced, draglink checked…maybe the 750x16 tires ( original mb had 600x16, and nearly same axle and bearings )
I placed a steering damper and all things went fine, except I need a little more power on the steering wheel.
Last year we restored ( rebuild) a 1942 GPW for my son, and we renewed all the steering parts on the front axle also the knuckle seals. This jeep steers very good and drives fine!
Last weekend before the 'season opening at the club' I replaced the knuckle seals on my M38 also, removed the steering damper and the jeep runs a lot easier, and no wobble at all. The seals gives the system extra friction together with the kingpenbearings.
conclusion : the knuckle seals are also an important part in the steering system
our toys..
Erik _________________ 1942 GPW 71336 my son's jeep restored now
1951 M38 MC11891
1953 VW beetle (genuine german Käfer )
1957 fantastic wife
I was having wobble/shimmy at speed in my M-38; got to troubleshooting and found tire pressure to low I was below 20lbs - took them back to 30 and all is good...
BTW: this is in the TM troubleshooting -tire pressure anyway...
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