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Is it possible to use all right-hand threaded spring shackle bearings on an M38A1 by using the longer M170 spring shackles with the side plate? And if this is possible......is there a bushing or something that needs to be replaced in the rear eye of the front left and right rear springs to accommodate the right-hand threaded bearing......or would I have to have M-170 springs?

Jim

Hey,

You would have to replace the bushing in the bracket that is mounted on the frame. It can be done carefully.

Look in the down loads section under M38 frame

Okay.....I haven't tried to remove any of my shackles yet because I want to make sure I have the correct hardware to replace them with......but my 8015.2 and 8014 manuals both state that its the "lower" end of the left front and right rear spring shackles that have the left-hand threads. Neither of them say anything about the threaded bearing that's in the frame. So were there only totally left-handed and totally right-handed shackles and not mixed shackles that had both kinds of threads? Does anyone have a good picture of the identification "boss" that's on the shackle or the groove that's cut around the left-hand threaded bearing? I swear.....I've looked all over mine and I can see no external difference in the top or the bottom or the left or the right side of this jeep's shackles. Thanks.

Jim

Jim,
I will have to look that up again. I worked on mine about 4 years ago. I was thinking that the upper and lower were right hand on the driver rear and pass front. I need to check again.

There are 8 threaded bushings used with the four "U" shackles. Two are left hand threaded and go in the spring eye only on the left front and right rear spring.

Okay.....so then obviously there are different spring inserts for the shackle eye on the left and the right springs. Would you happen to know the part number of the different inserts........and whether or not they are still available? Also......might you have a picture of the identification grove cut in the left-hand threaded bearing? And finally........do you think the closed M170 shackles would work as replacements for the open M38A1's IF the bearings on my jeep all turn out to be right-handed? Of course all this may turn out to be mute since it appears I am going to have to replace both of my front springs completely due to broken leaves and missing rebound clips. So.....if this is the case.....are there seperate part numbers for driver side and passenger side springs? I sincerely appreciate all the help guys.......thanks!

Jim

If you read your parts manual for the M38A1 & M170 you'll see that the left and right threaded issue continues through the end of production in 1968. The closed type shackle for the M38A1 and the M170 are the same. They too have the left and right threaded issue. Be carefull as you read through your parts manual since the left hand threaded parts are not always addressed with the same nomenclature as the right hand threaded parts. The right hand parts are listed seperately as "U" bolt, and bearing where as the left hand parts are usually listed as shackle assembly. When you go to the ORD 8 you'll find them listed as shackle kits right thread and shackle kits left thread. The springs do not differentiate between left and right. Also the spring eye is not threaded, only the bearing and the Ubolts are threaded.

Well to add something that means nothing; I have an M170 with closed shackles. The jeep has not been registered since the military sold it in 1972. All the leaf springs and suspension did not appear to have been tampered with after being de-commissioned. All of my shackles are right hand thread and I recently referbished the suspension keeping the shackles since they were in good shape. I did not even consider that they may be wrong but all parts assembled fine and seem to function fine.

The purpose of the two left handed shackle bearings is to prevent the predominant movement of the spring eye from working the threaded bearing loose. How often and soon this happened depends on your driving habits and where you drive.

This topic rears up over and over again and again just like the left handed wheel lug nuts on the left side. Bottom line is if you want it correct or you want to be sure they never back out then use the correct parts.

If it's not important to you or you just don't care then put whatever parts you want in there.