Crossmember mount setup... what did you do?

Alright, so a few weeks back I had to remove my OEM crossmember to replace the transmission mount. In the process I also broke the bolt on each side that go into the captive nut in the frame rail. Since I was in a hurry and needed to get it back together, I made a feeble attempt at removing the piece of bolt that's stuck in the frame on each side. I was going to try to drill it out, but none of my drill bits seemed to be sharp enough. So, in my hast, I went ahead and used the two studs on each side.. put the nuts on those and tightened down, then I welded about 2" on each side where the bolts normally would go.

Fast forward, went wheeling and beat the hell out of the crossmember. So, now I have a crossmember that's beat to hell and welded onto the unibody. Argh. I'm going to pull it off and cut the bottom off and weld some thick guage flat stock all the way across, then integrate some mounts for a transfer case skid plate in as well.

My question to you, fellow forum members, is this: Is everyone here still using the factory captive nuts ("nutserts") for their custom crossmember mount, or did you find some other ingenious way of mounting it? I thought about just drilling straight through and putting a long bolt down through the floor, but that seems a little extreme. Should I just suck it up and buy a new bit and tap for the stock mount? Cut the stock nutsert out and weld something new in? The possibilities are endless... what did you do?

yet another great thing about MJs they have an extra bracket inside the frame-rail so that the crossmember is held on by 8 bolts. you could try and get that bracket from the dealer or junkyard, or just make something totally custom. It would be a good excuse to plate the frame-rails along with a beefy new crossmember :laugh3:

Brett: That's an interesting idea. I didn't realize comanche's were different in that regard. I can picture what you're talking about though, seems like it would lessen the stress on the bolts and studs and put more of it on the unibody rails and generally stiffen things up. When I do remount this thing I'll have to fab something up.

I had the same problem, both on one side got stripped. My idea for getting to work the next day involved 2 eye-bolts and a pair of nuts.

I drilled some small holes in the frame member until I could fish the bolt through the existing hole. I then used a slotted screwdriver through the eye bolt to hold it while I ran a nut onto the eye bolt after slipping the crossmember on.

This temporary measure has lasted about 2 years. :shhh:

there are access holes in the floor right above those nuts.

Do not retap that nut-cert, it's gone You can either weld a piece to go and angle up the side of the frame rails and bolt it through the rail, then use your remaining nut-certs as well.

You can tack the crossmember, drill out the nutcerts to a large hole, cut through the floor, and weld nuts to the inside of the frame....that was one of your ideas, and I think it would be the best. The floor...you can cut a small 3x3 square which will give you plenty of room to weld something in there, then slap some spray paint in there. Then tack the sheet metal square back on and you're set.

I don't like the bolts straight up through the floor idea. The floor is very thin, and once those bolts loosen up by the floor caving in, the crossmember will fall down a little and once it gets caught up on a rock or something.......it will F up everything.

just my thoughts. _nicko_