M38A1 Questions

Since I own a Jeep truck, people think I know something about a lot more than I do. Today I got cornered at church and I was asked two questions I had not the slightest idea about. SO - y'all hep' me. Our friend Norm has an M38A1 that was the source of the questions.

A. Why do 24-volt vehicles seem to have battery issues? According to the local mechanic and his father who serviced M38A1's in Korea about 1970, the one dead battery has always been a problem with the vehicle. Is this true or an urban myth?

B. The other comment was "Norm is going to kill himself in that Jeep. If you get up to 35 mph, the front wheels shimmy so bad you can't stop it quick enough to get it under control". Bushings, king pins, worn steering sector/worm - or Yep - maybe all of that?

Like I say, I don't know the answer, but I do know a bunch of guys who do .....

The dreaded death wobble. Go through the entire front end, because it is usually a combination of loose parts. I would start at the kingpins, then inspect the tie rod ends. If any are even slightly worn, replace. Check the steering box for play, then the bell crank.

It isn't an urban myth about a tendency for the batteries to draw down on a 24 volt system. Even on our modern 24 volt systems tend to draw down over time. The simple solution for vintage and modern military vehicles is to install a battery on/off switch. On the M38A1, the switch can be installed up under the dash to not detract from the historical look. With all the extra battery cable connections for two batteries, there are a lot more chances to have a voltage draw. We had purchased a Dodge M37 from the local fire department. It had a battery isolation switch on it, and had no problem with battery draw while in storage.