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tranny cross member help

M

mickey_00xj

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Lexington Park, MD
So I decided to do long arm upgrade with a new cross member and additional t-case skid. I supported tranny and t-case with jack and started to take stock bolts out and broke one. I had to drill it out and fish a nut welded to a long rod through an access hole in the frame rail aft of the cross member just to reattach the stock skid. I know someone has had to of had this issue before. Mine's a 2000 and born and raised in the north with all the salt and road grim.
Basic question is how can I do the long arm/beefier cross member/t-case skid without totally destroying my frame trying to do so? I've thought about getting rail stiffeners and welding nuts to those and drilling out old nuts in stock rail to allow new ones to fit once stiffener is welded on, but is this really my only option. Can't be, unless my XJ just sucks more than most. Help would be awesome.
 
Hey it's saturday, people have other stuff going on. Give it longer then 3 hours.

Given that it is a unibody, I have found that there are three ways that I would consider doing this:
1. Welding nuts on stiffeners, cutting out small sections in the frame and welding the stiffeners in
2. Making a crossmember that the goes around the frame and sleeving the frame where the bolts go through
3. Weld stiffeners to the frame, make a crossmember that allows you to weld the crossmember ends to the frame but has bolts in the middle that allows you to drop the crossmember and tranny/transfer without interference
 
my last jeep i broke a couple of the crossmember bolts and went through t the floor, cut out the old weld nuts and installe new ones with sae bolts, none of that metric crap
 
ROBZ95Xj said:
my last jeep i broke a couple of the crossmember bolts and went through t the floor, cut out the old weld nuts and installe new ones with sae bolts, none of that metric crap
Click to expand...

I'll probably do this. How did you patch the holes where you cut and was it a pain in the ass to go through the floor?

By the way, thanks guys.
 
it was easy for me just made a hole with a angle grinder just watch the carpet, i just made a patch panel and attached it with construction adheasive from home depot
 
mickey_00xj said:
I had to drill it out and fish a nut welded to a long rod through an access hole in the frame rail aft of the cross member just to reattach the stock skid.QUOTE]

I basically did what you did... I use 3/4" strap, ran it for years... then a local shop didn't like fighting with the set up & tapped it for me... I feel it was stronger the other way... no issues yet though...

Curt
Click to expand...
 
ROBZ95Xj said:
it was easy for me just made a hole with a angle grinder just watch the carpet, i just made a patch panel and attached it with construction adheasive from home depot
Click to expand...

I was thinking use a piece of alluminum and rivet it and then seal the edges on the inside. That way if I, for whatever reason, need to take it off again I don't have to break welds and grind them flat again.
 
mickey_00xj said:
I was thinking use a piece of alluminum and rivet it and then seal the edges on the inside. That way if I, for whatever reason, need to take it off again I don't have to break welds and grind them flat again.
Click to expand...


I am not sure about using straps across, aluminium brackets or cutting and welding in new pieces. I busted the two studs on my XJ trying to lower the cross member. For me, it was a simple task to drill and tap to fit a larger bolt. That was seven years ago. They are still perfect and no extra holes or welding to the frame rails.
 
I don't have a tap and dye set, perhaps something I should invest in soon, and relying on what's left of the old rusted nuts in the frame kinda scares me. I feel better about cutting a little access hole in the floor and welding in some grade 8's, that's just me.
 
mickey_00xj said:
I don't have a tap and dye set, perhaps something I should invest in soon, and relying on what's left of the old rusted nuts in the frame kinda scares me. I feel better about cutting a little access hole in the floor and welding in some grade 8's, that's just me.
Click to expand...

I have cut inside the floor in the past. One of the bolts in the front of the leaf spring broke loose in the frame. I cut the floor so I could get a wrench on the nut. I also welded nut back in place.
 
Yeah, I'm a little worried that will happen when I do my new leaf packs as well. Hopefully they hold. I have already broken one of the rear ones and had to get to that one from inside the frame from the back. Perhaps while I'm doing all of this cutting of my floor to get at the broken s*** I'll remove all carpet and rynoline the entire inside. Anyone know the best way to get all the carpet glue off?
 
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