Front cross member installation

[maritime_bowtie]

I just picked up my "new" front cross member for my truck, with one small problem. The upper control arm brackets that are riveted to the crossmember have no threads on the studs. I checked my local dealer, but they say that that part is discontinued. They are not that easy of a piece to find.I'm wondering if i can somehow remove the old studs that the a arm bolts to and replace them. Also, would cutting the rivets and bolting on a new bracket be sufficient? I could always mig weld the brackets into place as well...

Now,... my friend said that doing a swap like this should only be done when the cab and box are off the frame. He says that if there is any strain on the cab or frame etc... when I cut loose my old cross member, my frame may twist and I may not be able to get my new cross member bolted on. Has anyone had experience with swapping a cross member with all the goodies onto a front end while the cab is still on??


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'87 chevy c10 2wd
305 fi targetmaster
daily driver, my project in progress (when time and money allow)