Wheel house brace

idiocrates · Post by **idiocrates** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 11:30 am

Inside the driver's side wheel house on this m38a-1 tub there is...or was...a brace welded from the inner wall of the wheel house....to the ceiling of the wheel house..to the outside panel of the body.....like this:
[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/22032 ... .jpg[/img]
drvr_wheelhouse_rearpanel by idiocrates, on Flickr[/url]
Does anybody make or reproduce this brace.....and/or was it only necessary if there was a pile of radio equipment stacked on the wheel house? Thanks.
by the way...this picture is taken with the tub standing on its passenger side....front of vehicle to the left....and you're looking at the bottom.

Rick_L · Post by **Rick_L** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 1:27 pm

http://www.classicent.com/jeep.php#car5175

idiocrates · Post by **idiocrates** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 1:49 pm

So...is what you're trying to show me is that Classic Ent. makes this brace? The only thing in their parts that might come close is the External Wheelhouse Angle Support.....and I thought it was welded to the inside of the tub in front of the wheelhouse (exterior to the wheelhouse) and reinforces the front face of the wheelhouse. From what I can see in my wheelhouse it looks like the brace I'm looking for is one-piece....but I can see where two of these braces could do the job.....if installed end-to end. So is that what you're proposing?

Post by **wesk** » Tue Nov 30, 2010 10:48 pm

Here's a better view

You can see the long vertical leg down the inbd side of the wheel house in the top photo and short vertical leg down the side panel in the lower photo.

Here's my crude illustration on how you combine two of the channels.

BullRun · Post by **BullRun** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:20 am

It looks like the Classic Enterprises parts might fit with some work. I could not find this part in reproduction anywhere. Midwest Military could probably make this part and DL Bensinger carries a ton of reproduction parts not advertised on the internet. It might end up being a univeral-fit type part like a lot today that are not jeep vehicle specific.

If that does not work... it might be overkill for a budget but a prototyping sheetmetal shop could easily reproduce this part. Simplified, just a straight hat channel with two bends. Probably a couple hours work at most with the right equipment.

You can use a tailers cloth measuring tape to get an approximate idea on part dimensions. Thats a tough one to authentically repair. I hope that helps.

Post by **wesk** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 1:48 am

I believe the parts shown are correct for that installation. I believe they went with two pieces so those changing just a wheel house or a quarter panel wouldn't have to remove all the welds on both sides.

idiocrates · Post by **idiocrates** » Wed Dec 01, 2010 7:06 am

Gentlemen, thanks for the replies. I'm going to give the Classic Ent. braces a try. I wondered why the raised center channel on the long leg of the brace was depressed at the end.....now I know.

jasonm · Post by **jasonm** » Sat Dec 04, 2010 8:34 pm

Guys I am going through the same thing on my m-38 on both the drivers and passengers side,.
I Just made them on a brake and cut a bunch of cuts at the angle needed and welded it all back up again,Use a flap disk to grind it all out and Prime.
I used 16 gauge its a bit thicker but easer to weld up all the small slit cuts.
Jason