Cross Member

[Jhonathan]

i bottomed my car out a few weeks back, since then i have been getting a horid rattle in my exhaust, well i found it, the cross member right after the S pipe is bent up and it is hitting my exhaust, i took it off, is it necisary to have it as long as im extremely easy on the car?
also, the rattle was caused by the clamp on the exhaust, it was moved and now i have both the rattle(clamp hitting crossmember) and an exhaust leak
can u buy new crossmembers or should i just try to straighten this one?
any help appreciated
thanks
Jhonathan

[stagen]

My personal feeling is thatyou need it. It gives added support tot he transmission when you hit bumps etc... and if you are to drop your drive shaft it would stop it for the most part from falling straight to the ground and possibly jamming in the road. You ever see a F-Body to the pole-vault? :eek:

[Jhonathan]

no, not the member that holds the tranny mount up, its behind that, right after the cat, its just a flimsy piece of metal about 1/8th inch thick or so, there is an exhaust clamp right above it, ive been running it without it for a day and have noticed no huge difference....slight body roll increase, but i dont do corners fast anymore since my shocks are toast....if it is dangerous to have it off, someone let me know and ill get it back on asap

[John_D.]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Jhonathan:
the cross member right after the S pipe is bent up and it is hitting my exhaust...

should i just try to straighten this one?
<hr></blockquote>

It is easy to straighten, or bend for more clearance.

I had to work on mine after I put in my 3" exhaust. Bolt up the drivers side, loosely. Put a spacer (piece of wood or something) between the pipe and the crossmember. Push the cross member up on the passenger side, and bolt it in. Tighten the bolts all the way.

Now loosen the bolts and take the spacer out. You probably have plenty of clearance now.

Tighten everything back up and go...

(I also took a crescent wrench set to about a 1/4" opening, and bent down the flanges on the outer edges of the cross member, right where the pipe passes over, giving me a little more clearance.)

(edit - ummmm, that was a 3" exhaust, not a 3' exhaust....)

[ September 20, 2002: Message edited by: John_D. ]</p>