Engine crossmember

[PWall]

How big of an expense or P. I. T. A. is it to change the engine crossmenber on my 93 drw. The old truck has served its time well but developed this splitting problem at about 450,000 miles. It is splitting down where the lower control arm attatches both sides of the ears are doing it. I would rather not part the truck out. but it is "taking up valuable space in the yard"

 

[1stgen4evr]

Can't say that I have a clear answer to your question but I can offer a small amount of info. I sold Greenleaf a crossmember that I don't know if he has installed. I can say that it was quite some difficulty just to get the one he has out of the donor truck. It is a built up assembly that starts with the crossmember and that is then rivited and welded to the frame rails. My guess is that at 450k plus miles, your best bet is to get a really qualified welding shop to repair the cracks and watch it as you run on to some other failure.



As I was torching down to the point of getting the crossmember out, I noticed some other cracks in the frame. It would be a good idea for all owners to get their truck on a lift and clean the crude and look good at the front frane area.



James

 

[Greenleaf]

The frame on the doner cross member is split. It split at the holes drilled in the lower frame flange to which a section of the cross member is bolted.



I used several parts from the cross member assy which, as James mentioned, is a conglomeration of parts welded/riveted/bolted together.

 

[Don Tanklage]

great... .



if you guys back there are crackin your frames all the trucks in the L. A. area are junk



you could not believe how bad the frwy's are here...



another thought - my truck was on the bump stops when i got it. if yours is too i would spend what ever you have to to get it off the stops cuz that has got to be really hard on the frame



don

 

[Greenleaf]

I have a few sweet pics of the job to repair my rusted cross member. Need to get them loaded on the computer... ... ..... try to do that while I'm wrenching on the truck this holiday weekend.

 

[KOG]

I welded several cracks on the front frame of mine. And the rivets holding the lower radiator support/crossmember were loose so that got welded back to the frame rails too. The CTD is just a little too strong for the 1st gen frames.

 

[Greenleaf]

Random Pictures

I selected a number of pictures from the cross member reweld/replace/repair, along with replacement of front springs/tie rods/ball joints/control arms/bushings etc. etc.



It was my first encounter w/said front end so six days later, it was done. That doesn't include the trip to North Georiga for the cross member.

 

[PToombs]

Scott, did you get to leave the truck inside for that time? Or did you have to move it in and out as you worked? Just being nosy.

 

[Greenleaf]

Few More

No, I'm not hijacking the thread. This IS on topic. It is a reweld/replacement and repair of a cross member, 1992 First Genneration Diesel.



Hope this helps. I have all (NAPA) part numbers for all components of a front end.

 

[Greenleaf]

I took a weeks vacation. The durn school buses simply had to wait.

 

[PWall]

Thanks for the information and the pics Greenleaf!! They are, or should be; an inspiration.

 

[PWall]

Don I'm not out there in california... I'm in Oklahoma

 

[PToombs]

I took a weeks vacation. The durn school buses simply had to wait.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

Looks awesome Scott!