will M38 front axles work in a GPW

1941 - 1945, MB, GPW Technical questions and discussions, regarding anything related to the WWII jeep.
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Al Rains
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will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Al Rains » Thu Jun 21, 2018 9:46 am

As it asks, will M38 axles work in a 43 GPW housing with the correct 43 pieces or do they have to be MB or GPW?
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by mdainsd » Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:36 pm

M38s have a different gear ratio. Changing just the front will lead to binding if you ever put it in four wheel drive.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Joe Gopan » Thu Jun 21, 2018 1:46 pm

I believe the question is about the inner shafts.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Marty, SoCal » Thu Jun 21, 2018 6:33 pm

I'm pretty sure they will, use any shims/bushings required for the type axles in the M-38.

Ben, were these Spicer type, meaning with regular u-joints? My '61 CJ-5 had this type.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by dpcd67 » Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:08 pm

M38s have Bendix axles; most I have seen anyway.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Al Rains » Fri Jun 22, 2018 2:51 am

Yes, the question was about the inner shafts. I guess I wasn't that clear on what I was asking. Thanks for the responses.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:25 am

dpcd67 wrote:
Thu Jun 21, 2018 7:08 pm
M38s have Bendix axles; most I have seen anyway.
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Early M-38 may have WWII shafts, rare but possible.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by OldPappy » Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:37 am

The M38 I rebuilt years ago had both types, one kind on the short shaft, the other on the long shaft. So, they probably are interchangeable. I don't recall which was which, just remember being surprised when I went through the rebuild.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Jun 22, 2018 3:43 am

best buy a CJ-2A thru CJ-5 Jeep Factory Manual when swapping internals, there are important differences in the thrust washers and bushings at the ball and they are critical. Luc is the best at explaining these details.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:02 am

Right, it is the brass bushing in the axle that is important; most have it anyway but better to check. It holds and centers the Bendix and Tracta axles together. Rzeppa holds itself together and both are held on the ends by nuts. Post war axles do not have the nuts because all axle housings have bushings.
If you use a Tracta axle, which I like but are rare in jeeps, common in Dodges, you need the bushing.
Look in your SNL on page 133 and 150; it says that the bushing, A6362 is for Willys only. Because it assumes that Ford did not use anything but Rzeppas. Mine has them.
So make sure you install one for any axle but a Rzeppa.
It gets confusing.
I know nothing about the Spicer joints.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Joe Gopan » Fri Jun 22, 2018 7:51 am

There are two types of Spindle Bushings, and they have to be compatible with either War Time or Post War axle shafts.
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by Al Rains » Fri Jun 22, 2018 10:14 am

Thanks for the info everyone. Now I kinda know what to do better than I did beforehand. Guess to be safe I'd better disassemble the assy.and check. Is a Ford housing stamped with Ford or F anywhere on it?
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Re: will M38 front axles work in a GPW

Post by dpcd67 » Fri Jun 22, 2018 11:15 am

Yes. You have to see what you have got and go from there. There are brass bushings in the spindle, but also in the axle housing. Have to be there with anything but Rzeppas. And a thrust washer too. So whatever combination you use, it all has to be compatible for that U joint/drive axle. It's in the SNL for the M38. And of course for MB and GPW.
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