Help! Can't remove crossmember

[davepl]

So the shop was going to swap my torque converter for me today but the bolts that hold the transmission crossmember, they tell me, were dropped in from the top so they can't get them out. You'd have to remove the cab.

Looking at the teardown photos, though, the bolts always came down from the top. Is there something obvious they're missing? These aren't guys that want to run up hours on me, I trust them - but mistakes happen too.

They think they can get away without having to remove the crossmember by removing the flexplate to give them more room, which they already did.

But if my truck came from the FACTORY like that I'm worried maybe there's something obvious. Here's a picture from "before" powdercoat.

Is it normally hard to get the crossmember out of these?

[LockDoc]

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You have to loosen the cab hold down bolts and jack it up enough to get them out.... (one side at a time)

LockDoc

[hamjet]

With a torch I took mine out in 3 pieces. I cut the rivets at the bottom section where they're riveted to the frame.(4 rivets) then the 2 that hold the bottom section to the top 2 pieces.(toward the center) After knocking the whole bottom section out with a hammer then it was easy to cut the 2 top rivets on each side from underneath..OOPS! I'm thinking of the 3 speed manual bellhousing x member..

[Sklptrljay]

Sawzall with an offset blade might do the trick.

[57larry]

let us know how this turns out. thanks, Larry

[LockDoc]

Originally Posted by hamjet

With a torch I took mine out in 3 pieces. I cut the rivets at the bottom section where they're riveted to the frame.(4 rivets) then the 2 that hold the bottom section to the top 2 pieces.(toward the center) After knocking the whole bottom section out with a hammer then it was easy to cut the 2 top rivets on each side from underneath..OOPS! I'm thinking of the 3 speed manual bellhousing x member..

Originally Posted by Sklptrljay

Sawzall with an offset blade might do the trick.

Problem is I think his frame is already powdercoated...

LockDoc

[davepl]

Yep, it's all powdercoated. I don't mind so long as it wasn't a trivially simple solution - he's going to have extra hours into it and wanted to make sure there wasn't an obvious workaround.

For my next truck, would it make sense to weld captive nuts on top of the frame so that the bolts can go in from the bottom?

[kwmech]

If the body mounts are good they will come out. I use a 1x3 or 4 up against the bottom of the cab and a long prybar between the frame and body. Come right out. The other option has already been mentioned with the 3 piece x-member. Not that big of a deal. Need to find a better shop that is not going to milk the labor for something so simple. Stock bolt length is/was 1.25''

[davepl]

Originally Posted by kwmech

Need to find a better shop that is not going to milk the labor for something so simple.

I prefaced my remarks with "These aren't guys that want to run up hours on me, I trust them". For you to then accuse them of milking it offends me.

Like I said, mistakes happen, but please do not insult people I recommend and trust unless you know them better than I do.

With new paint and new powdercoating I'm not sure I want anyone using a "prybar", "BFH", or similar to solve a problem.

That said, the mounts are new and the bolts are factory so it probably would have come out given sufficient prying, but if I'd caught him prying on a 2x4 against my cab I would have been on here asking about that, not the extra hour to drop the flexplate and move the trans back.