The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Replacement Crossmember for '46 1.5T - Any thoughts?

Howdy All --- Well...I am just about to jump off the deep end. The main frame crossmember has to go to make room for a driveline park brake on the back of my Allison 2200. And given that I have been told repeatedly to keep any welding on the frame to an absolute minimum...here is the plan...

Two 1/4" x 10" C-channels fit snugly inside the original frame on each side and will be bolted using 8- 1/2" locking flange bolts. 4 each along the top & bottom of the frame rail.

1/4" x 6-1/2" x 10" steel plates on the ends of the new crossmember will bolt to the face of each C-channel via 11 - 1/2" locking flange bolts.

The crossmember itself is constructed of two, 1/8" wall square tubes that are cross connected in two places.

I am hoping this will satisfy any twisting demands on the frame without weakening or over stressing it. There is a pic of the crossmember here...

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Cw9o1QCrossMember1 by tango88, on Flickr]Crossmember[/url] [img]https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1559/23969973480_124377d5ae.jpg[/img]

Since this is all new territory for me, I am open to any thoughts some of you real builders might have on this.

Thanks in advance.

That seems similar to how I removed and replaced the crossmember just behind my engine.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nixDCj-FaLSERGjgL-oMfNMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

I used all the original rivet holes for the new flanged bolts holding the new c channel pieces in, crossmember then bolts to those.

Wow! Nice job. I just wish I could use the original holes on mine but it had to move back about 6" for clearance. Is your new crossmember hand built or from something else. Whatever it is...it looks good.

And speaking of holes...I am torn between leaving the old ones be and filling them in slowly (cooly) with my mig.

I'd probably leave the old holes.

I adapted and reused a crossmember from the same location on a late 70's C60.