NotMatt
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Wenatchee, WA
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?
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?