M38a1 CDN2 - Winter Project

[Wayne Hingley]

Sandblasting of the frame complete.

[rob love]

Now would be the time to check for cracking in the usual spots. The pre-Cdn3 Jeeps were prone to cracking on the sides of the frame just above the front mounts of the rear leaf springs. The crack would run from the bottom and up to the little hole on the right side that had a frame clip running through it. The Cdn3 put an inside plate on the frame in that location which seemed to fix the problem. I have also seen cracking over the rear mounts as well, but not nearly as often.

Of course the other spot is the area above the bellcrank mount for the steering. They were prone to separation. You will usually find globs and globs of messy weld in that area, caused by the military welding the area upside down and full of grease.

[Wayne Hingley]

Thanks for the tip Rob. I had been looking things over and other than the welding you refer to, everything looks good. I went back and specifically took a look at the areas you mention, and I don't see any evidence of cracks or stress. Thanks for mentioning that, I definitely want to make sure all is good while Im at this phase.

[Wayne Hingley]

... and the bellcrank area.

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Wayne Hingley

... and the bellcrank area.

The sparker's version of, 'if you don't know knots, tie lots'?

[rob love]

Yep, they look OK from here. The right side was usually the one that cracked where they had two holes directly above the stress point. It was more common that you would think. The extra welding at the bellcrank was very common, including attempts to weld the cast bracket to the steel plate.

[Wayne Hingley]

I just finished spraying the frame (3 coats). I chose to use a product called Chassis Saver. Ill splash a bit of OD on the frame after this stuff cures. I need to investigate the recommended time to cure before painting over the Chassis Saver.