I am missing this part but, it does not appear too hard to fabricate. Could anyone advise the approximate length? It is for an M38 and is the part that hooks to the bracket on the crossmember to keep the emergency brake lever assy. retracted.
Edited by moderator:
Actually it hooks on the tab on the underside of the tub.
X is the spring which attaches to the tab on the underside of the tub and W is the link that connects to the end of the handbrake cable link.
This is one of those M38 manual discrepancies apparently. It is shown in both ways of assembly. I used the manuals putting my M38 together and remembered seeing these pictures in the maintenance and the engine/clutch manuals.
Gary Keating
1949 C3A, 1952 M38,
1954 M170, 1957 Cj3B
Gary, I agree, an obvious discrepancy. Two photographs saying one thing versus a drawing and an exploded diagram saying another? Scale tips to the photos I think. And either way, it's an easy enough switch should the jeep police show up . The important missing piece (the dimensions of the link) I'm thankful you supplied ! I'll be making one this weekend.
Ron D.
1951 M38 Unknown Serial Number
1951 M100 Dunbar Kapple 01169903 dod 5-51
“The only good sports car that America ever made was the Jeep."
--- Enzo Ferrari
Not at all uncommon but I would go with the later illustration from the 1956 ORD 9. The illustrations Keats shows are both from the early editions of the TM which used for the most part CJV35 and Pilot model M38 photos.
the top drawing on my post is from the June 1951 manual.
The bottom drawing on my post is from the Jan. 1956 maintenance manual and the same drawing is in the Sept 1950 manual.
But I agree with RonD2 and you. It really doesn't matter much which way the assembly was meant to be put together and its a 10 second fix to reverse it. Works either way. I guess my only reasoning for putting the link on the body bracket besides the manual drawings is that its of heavier thickness making it "possibly" less prone to break due to friction and movement on the sharp edge of the bracket.
Gary Keating
1949 C3A, 1952 M38,
1954 M170, 1957 Cj3B
I bought an NOS spring and link for my 51 M38---at some point the link came off of the tab and was lost. The spring was still hanging on the clip on the E-brake clip.
Knowing this, I would go with the long spring set up if you are driving and using your M38.
Harold W.
MVPA #6833
1945 GPW
1950 CJV-35/U
1951 M38 1952 M38
1962 USMC Contract M38A1
1953 Strick M100 1967 Johnson M416
1968 CJ5 4-Speed 1969 CJ5 V6