Cross member
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 966
Likes: 27
From: Missouri
Cross member
I know I am going to get razed here, but I have a question about installing a cross member in my 53f100 for the 350 motor that is in the truck. Right now it is mounted off the front of the block to the front frame member. This causes an issue for installing the power steering pump. I purchased a cross member for this application already. I was mocking it up to get ready to install it when I noticed that the motor will have to come down about 3 to 4 inches to meet the mounting area for the motor mounts. That is with the mounting ends of the cross member sitting down on the bottom frame rail. I was wondering if this will be a problem? Also I was wondering if the cross member mounting ends could be raised to the bottom of the top rail? Are there any detailed instructions on this sight on how to intall the cross member?
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 335
Likes: 3
From: Centennial, CO
If you lower just the motor you will run the risk of changing the pitch of the pinion to transmission angle. It it was me I would try to put the new cross member as close to the height of the existing motor as possible.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,192
Likes: 4,801
From: Burbank, WA
Seems to me you'd be better served to ditch the crossmember and just custom fab some side mounts to match the height the engine is already at. That way you don't have to mess with the trans mount, shift linkage and/or clutch linkage, exhaust, driveshaft, pinion angles, steering, the list will go on and on.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,776
Likes: 2
From: springfield il
ok i gotta do it ... UUUUUUGGGGGHHHH HE SAID THE BAD CHITT- WORD !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
now that that's done . look at some of the engine swap xmembers out there . if i remember right didn't they put an automatic in your truck at the same time ??? if not like he said you may be doing some fabricating .
now that that's done . look at some of the engine swap xmembers out there . if i remember right didn't they put an automatic in your truck at the same time ??? if not like he said you may be doing some fabricating .
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 966
Likes: 27
From: Missouri
I was thinking the same thing about making or purchasing side mounts. I was going with the cross member first because the original cross member at the front of the cab was cut out. I was a little concerned this would affect the frame structure.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,192
Likes: 4,801
From: Burbank, WA
If you're concerned about strength, you can always add a crossmember, later, after the engine is mounted in position. That way you can put the crossmember anywhere it works best, clearance wise, and won't be locked into making mods you don't want to.
old and in the way
Joined: Jul 1997
Posts: 5,924
Likes: 1,053
From: Lovely Hueytown Alabama
a wise old car builder once told me...
"everytime you change ONE thing... it changes THREE more"
I've never proven him wrong
john
"everytime you change ONE thing... it changes THREE more"
I've never proven him wrong
john
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 966
Likes: 27
From: Missouri
If I raise and mount the mounting brackets to the bottom of the top rail it brings it up close to the motor mounts as the engine sits in there now. There shouldn't be any problems doing this is is there?
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 16,192
Likes: 4,801
From: Burbank, WA
You can probably put the crossmember anywhere you want. But you don't want to weld it directly to the frame rail flanges, either the top or bottom. Ideally, you'd want to weld in a boxing plate and then attach the crossmember ends to that. But any deviation to the angle of the engine from where it is now, assuming it is currently installed correctly, could have other concequences.
