South Dakota M38

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 7:35 pm

Figured I should start posting pictures of my progress this winter, so here goes... few pictures to start....

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 8:17 pm

That's fine work there Aaron. You should bd proud.

Looks like a steering stabilizer mount on the right tie rod
With the work you are doing you should not need it.

Keep the pics coming!
Brian

Bretto · Post by **Bretto** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 8:18 pm

Looking good man!

Post by **wesk** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:17 pm

You are making nice progress there.

Unless you have a lot of slop elsewhere in the steering it looks like you have rebuilt all the tie rods and bell crank I would chuck that steering stabilizer. It is just a band aid for the cheap or lazy folks who won't properly maintain and repair their steering components.

brimac · Post by **brimac** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:24 am

Looking nice and clean. I had so much snow and cold weather I been snowed out from working my M38.

DanS · Post by **DanS** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:28 pm

Maybe a photo issue, but it looks like you have the longer brake pads on the back of the axel? The longer pads should face the front of the jeep. Just trying to help.

Dan

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:49 pm

Wow,
Good catch Dan-o!
[/u]

Post by **wesk** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:50 pm

Good eye Dan!

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:52 pm

Actually those are the short ones in the back. Short pads on back axel, long pads on front axel.

Post by **wesk** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:33 pm

Actually each brake gets one short and one longs shoe.

Front axle brakes Long shoe on front and short shoe on the back.

Rear axle brakes long shoe on front and short shoe on rear.

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:49 am

Looks like I have some work to do...

4x4M38 · Post by **4x4M38** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 8:04 am

Hey,
At least they are clean!

aforests · Post by **aforests** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:48 am

I can see myself really procrastinating the job of pulling everything apart and switching around brake shoes, re-adjusting everything, etc...

Although I want everything to be right, any big negatives on leaving it the way it is? that is with the short shoes on the rear axle and the long shoes on the front axle?

DanS · Post by **DanS** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:25 am

I would do it. The brakes on these jeeps are marginal, even when everything is proper. The installation was a design feature that I feel is not worth compromising. It is not a huge a job, like others said, it is all clean.

Dan

Post by **wesk** » Wed Mar 25, 2015 10:58 am

M38 brakes are the non-servo type. That means the big shoe goes on the front and the reason for putting it there is to reduce wheel hop when braking.

The servo-type brakes found on later jeeps are a floating assembly (not rigid anchored at the bottom) and they use the big shoe in the back so that when brake is initially applied the bigger shoe being dominant has a tendency to force the brake assembly to a tighter engagement earlier on.

So I would suggest following Dan's suggestion and always make sure the two big safety items, STEERING & BRAKES are done right and reliable!