Crossmember support bolt problems
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,379
Likes: 129
From: Stratford-upon-Avon
Crossmember support bolt problems
I'm having more trouble than I anticipated putting back the upper support bolts on both sides of the crossmember.
The crossmember is in position, with mount brackets very loosely bolted into block on both sides. I can wiggle the crossmember.
On the LHS the holes align close but no cigar. I tried prying the bracket slightly from top of engine bay but the engine shifts rather than the bracket! I don't think raising the engine will make any difference (I tried) as the crossmember is hard up against the rear lower control arm holes when it's as closely aligned as I can get it, so that's as high as it can go.
I wonder if I have all the mount brackets in the correct orientation? I have it so that the interlocking safety fingers face rearwards on RHS, and forwards LHS which is how I took them out. But on the RHS the crossmember needs to go inboard a little to line up with rear lower control arm holes, but I've tried to show in the photo that the mount bracket on that side has a lip that is hard up against lip of oil pan, so can't go further inwards the few mm I need.
Bet I've got something wrong! Grateful for any advice. I know punch has been suggested but I can't find a 10mm tapered one locally just now!
Using the OEM mounts. I know it's an extravagance but I didn't want extra problem of bending things around so they would fit. Of course it hasn't turned out as smoothly as intended!
Thanks
The crossmember is in position, with mount brackets very loosely bolted into block on both sides. I can wiggle the crossmember.
On the LHS the holes align close but no cigar. I tried prying the bracket slightly from top of engine bay but the engine shifts rather than the bracket! I don't think raising the engine will make any difference (I tried) as the crossmember is hard up against the rear lower control arm holes when it's as closely aligned as I can get it, so that's as high as it can go.
I wonder if I have all the mount brackets in the correct orientation? I have it so that the interlocking safety fingers face rearwards on RHS, and forwards LHS which is how I took them out. But on the RHS the crossmember needs to go inboard a little to line up with rear lower control arm holes, but I've tried to show in the photo that the mount bracket on that side has a lip that is hard up against lip of oil pan, so can't go further inwards the few mm I need.
Bet I've got something wrong! Grateful for any advice. I know punch has been suggested but I can't find a 10mm tapered one locally just now!
Using the OEM mounts. I know it's an extravagance but I didn't want extra problem of bending things around so they would fit. Of course it hasn't turned out as smoothly as intended!
Thanks
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 100
From: New Canaan, CT
I just finished doing this job this past weekend following Dwayne's write up. I was having the same problem with having everything loose. So what I did was put a jack under the cross member and jacked it up. Then installed the lower control arm bolts. Snugged them up. Then installed the cross member bolts to the chassis, one on either side. This aligned those bolt holes and just with a slight wiggle was able to get them in.
Hope that helps.
Hope that helps.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,379
Likes: 129
From: Stratford-upon-Avon
Hi Bilal thanks very much I will try this approach now.
My lower control arms are out just now (removed them to make job easier and alsoo I have installed new shocks). So am I correct thinking that after you had everything bolted in, you removed the lower control arm bolts so that you could position control arm bush and then bolt through the u-shaped clamp and through the crossmember at the top?
My lower control arms are out just now (removed them to make job easier and alsoo I have installed new shocks). So am I correct thinking that after you had everything bolted in, you removed the lower control arm bolts so that you could position control arm bush and then bolt through the u-shaped clamp and through the crossmember at the top?
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,039
Likes: 100
From: New Canaan, CT
I put the lower control arm on with the U shaped brackets and tightened everything snug so that the cross member is close to its final location as possible. This allowed me to put those 2 bolts for cross member to the chassis. And all of that located the cross member so that I could install the 2 bolts that you are having trouble with.
