Wishing everyone a very happy and healthy new year.

This months introduction is of someone most of you already know, by voice anyway.  It is Ryan Spear, who runs the Parts Department here at Willys-Overland. Ryan's background of 15 years working in a number of local dealerships and salvage yards in the Toledo area has given him a broad range of experience in new parts as well as used and salvage parts.  Since starting with us in August of 2011 Ryan has gained a tremendous amount of knowledge in the "Restoration" side of the auto parts business, and is now the head of our parts department.  Sometimes that actually means he works alone in that department and at other times he is also training and supervising newer parts sales people.  Ryan's commitment, patience and single-minded desire to satisfy every persons needs, is what sets him apart from many other parts personnel we have all met along our way.  Ryan, and girlfriend Kimmy decided to expand their family, and 14 months ago welcomed little Jaxson to the nest.  At 14 months, Jaxson is already analyzing and taking things apart at home...guess the apple really doesn't fall far from the tree.

Tech Department: Help... My Steering Is All Over The Place    

This months submission will deal with a very common, and often frustrating problem... that of too much play or slop in the vehicles steering.  Particularly problematic in the 1941-1971 models, the solution can be much easier to diagnose and solve than most people realize.  Due to the scope of these steering problems, as well as the many possible causes, we are devoting more than the usual amount of space to this issue.

Jeeps with manual steering are known for their "loose" feel, but of course, "how much play is too much", is really a matter of personal preference.  The first question most customers ask is "is the problem with the steering box"?  The answer is... possibly.  Over time the sector shaft can wear down the studs that ride on the worm gear, causing flat spots that will cause the gear to "catch" when turning the wheel.  This part is replaceable and will usually correct the problem you are having, however the problem might not just be related to the gearbox.  The steering bellcrank is mounted on the front round crossmember and is supported by a bolt with bearings and rubber isolators.  This part takes a beating with normal usage and can cause a delayed response when steering.  While the drag link may not be the most common cause of steering issues, it too can become worn, egg out the connecting holes, and become sloppy in its connection.  We do offer repair kits for ALL these items, which should correct your problems.  Listed below is a step-by-step procedure to check the functionality of your steering system.  Following these steps will help determine where your problem is really located.

#1 Check the bell crank arm by grabbing it and trying to wiggle it up and down.  This part should be solidly mounted and should not have any "play" whatsoever.   If it does wobble, it should be replaced.  While inspecting this area, also check the ball stud end of the arm.  It is common for the ball to become "out of round".

#2 Inspect the openings of the drag links to ensure the shape is still oval and has not become irregularly shaped from excessive rotation.  There is also a repair kit available for the spring caps and retainers to attach the link, as well as the link itself.

#3 Check the gear box pitman arm, as the ball stud can become egg shaped (as opposed to round), and will need to be replaced. This would be due to a worn drag link.

#4 Check the steering gear box by first seeing how much play your wheel has.  While a little play is normal, more than a quarter of a turn can be deemed excessive.  You can have a helper hold the pitman arm while you turn the steering wheel and see how much wheel rotation it takes to move the arm.  Next, remove the pitman arm, remove the inspection cover and check for play on the sector shaft.  This will indicate if the bushings are worn.  Next, remove the sector shaft to check for flat spots on the studs.  Although worm gears are usually pretty stout, a badly worn sector shaft can cause the worm gear to wear.

By following these steps you should be able to determine what part, or parts of your system are causing your problems.  At that point we will be able to most effectively and cost efficiently solve your specific problem.

Contrary to most "Classic Car" laws (and grandfathered exclusions), most states now require turn signals on all vehicles operating on their roads and highways.  Obviously, many of the vehicles our customers are working on never had this feature and until now there wasn't a kit, or parts, to help you get "legal".   Therefore, we are now happy to announce a simple conversion kit to allow you to convert your 6 volt front parking lights to 12 volt turn signals.  If your later CJ2A or CJ3A has a grille that does not have the "shelves" for mounting the bullet style lamps, our new kit will allow you to add turn signals WITHOUT major modifications to the grille assembly, while maintaining the original look of the lens and chrome bezels.  The kit will include the mounting brackets, bulbs, sockets, wiring kit and mounting instructions.  In most cases the rear lights will only require a dual filament bulb to be installed.

Please call Ryan for more info or to get your kit ordered today.