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cross member worries. 

 

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 Post subject: cross member worries.
Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 3:00 am 
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Location: brightview
QLD, Australia

Hi, this may seem a little strange, my son bought an xf ute not long ago
and we found that the cross member under tha motor is damaged so bent that it seems to have placed a crack in the sump which opens up when we try to jack the car up. My question is, can we remove the cross member and replace it without cutting it from the car or do we need to remove the motor and cut. Any help would be good at this point.
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Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 8:54 am 
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Ride: 2.0 Turbo VW

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Location: Seaford State:
VIC, Australia

I struck this problem about 6 years ago and it ended up wering a hole in the sump.

Cross member is structual part of the front end and It's welded and bolted the the strutt towers. (as you've seen)

You can replace it but requires removing the engine, control arms, etc to replace the lot.

Either way you have to lift the motor to do the sump if its cracked.

Hard part is getting a donor or a wreckers to give you a half cut car with a good front end.

Do-able but you need welding skills and patients when unstitching the welds.
(at least you can practice on the donor car!)

Putting it in is easier, install it, bolt it up loose, bounce it around, tighten it and weld it.

 

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Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 9:33 am 
Getting Side Ways
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Ride: EF wagon & EF fairmont wagon & M

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Upgrade to an EF.
I had to replace the front crossmember/subframe in my Ef fairmont project last week and Its a piece of piss. Done in half a day as it's designed with that in mind. I was very impressed with how you can simply unbolt a bent one and slot in the straight one and your car will steer straight again.
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Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 7:10 am 
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Ride: 2.0 Turbo VW

Power: 142 rwkw

Location: Seaford State:
VIC, Australia

richard williams wrote:
Upgrade to an EF.
I had to replace the front crossmember/subframe in my Ef fairmont project last week and Its a piece of piss. Done in half a day as it's designed with that in mind. I was very impressed with how you can simply unbolt a bent one and slot in the straight one and your car will steer straight again.


yeh that helps him a lot!

 

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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 9:35 am 
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:oops: Sorry guys my computer died some time ago and i have not been able to get back to thank you for your advice, my son solved his problem with a 10 pound sledge hammer, you may laugh as i did but the dam thing still drives straight, who would have known?.
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Posted: Thu Oct 11, 2007 7:51 pm 
Parts Gopher
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10 pound sledge hammer bog it then paint then sell
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:12 am 
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DJBOOBY wrote:
10 pound sledge hammer bog it then paint then sell
Sell his pride and joy, you would have more luck cutting off one of his arms.
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:25 am 
Parts Gopher
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Ride: xf ute

Location: Tumut
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same here
check for body cracks around shock tower and crossmember you will need to get under car to check were they spot weld you should see rusty cracks if any or if new ones may have to look a lot closer and good light not a touch
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:46 am 
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DJBOOBY wrote:
same here
check for body cracks around shock tower and crossmember you will need to get under car to check were they spot weld you should see rusty cracks if any or if new ones may have to look a lot closer and good light not a touch
Getting under it has its own problems, dam thing is too low to get a jack under it and ramps are out also as it wont go up them, well it would if only he would take the bullbar off but again taking an arm would be easier. will look into it anyway, thank you for that we didn't even think of it.
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Posted: Fri Oct 12, 2007 10:56 am 
Parts Gopher
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they all do it common problem but more likely in you case
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