RebekahsZ Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I was pricing some parts to sell on ebay and stumbled across this billet rear crossmember. I have long been frustrated with how wide the stock crossmember is, and how difficult it is to get around it to torque the driveshaft. This looks narrower and I was thinking about getting one. Anybody have an opinion or any experience with this product? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=151105006500&fromMakeTrack=true&ssPageName=VIP:watchlink:top:en Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nix240z Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I have one and I had to machine about a 1/4" off the left side to get it to fit and also had to enlarge the holes on the right side. Other than that it is a nice piece. The stock ones also have wider/longer holes on the right side so that that was expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Call me ignant, but whats the point of this part? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madkaw Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 250$ of glitter! Doesn't look much narrower, how do you know? How many times do you need to get to your DS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 About five times a year. And I cuss every time. I have already made two modifications to the stock crossmember and am contemplating another. And another. If you race, you gotta make it easy to fix broken stuff. If you think about it, a paint job is just bling, but most people have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Namor Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Are those 5 times due to breaking it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madkaw Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 I guess with an RT mount I just figure 4 bolts make easy access by removing that damn bracket Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 Three times due to damaging it but only one total failure (I inspect after every race night and replace anything twisted or cracked). I plan to drop the driveshaft early this winter for clutch inspection and bellhousing upgrade. May drop it again for a differential change out. I am under the car on my back at least once a week. Madkaw, I saw a post once where the crossmember was cut away leaving only the saddle mounts for the control arm bushings-that might have been you? I considered this mod too, but I need the crossmember for rigidity of the back of the tranny tunnel. I am also considering integrating the crossmember and my RT mount via bolts with sway bar link style bushings. This portion of the car takes a beating. Nix240z- did you just have to go up a few drill bit sizes on the hole enlargement or did you have to router them out to elongate/slot them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madkaw Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 What I'm saying is that there is only 4 bolts holding that crossmember in place. If you are running the RT mount and no crossmember mount, then it's a couple of minutes to move it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 There's no weight listed that I can see. I wonder if it actually weighs less than the hollow steel OEM piece? Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 10, 2013 Author Share Posted September 10, 2013 Madkaw, so it would seem, and so it was on my buddies car which has headers only and no exhaust pipe. But on my car, the exhaust runs under that crossmember. Soooo, to get room to torque the driveshaft, I have to drop the exhaust AND the bracket. If I didn't need the strength or tie-in that the crossmember provides, I would so totally cut it away, leaving only the saddles. I think that is a great mod for low hp cars. Totally resolves a lot of access issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Try socket-head driveshaft bolts. An Allen wrench on the socket makes driveline installation/removal a snap. You may want to have some flanges installed in your exhaust system at logical break points so sections can be dropped out for easy access/removal of driveshaft, transmission, differential, gas tank and etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nix240z Posted September 11, 2013 Share Posted September 11, 2013 Nix240z- did you just have to go up a few drill bit sizes on the hole enlargement or did you have to router them out to elongate/slot them? I put it in my milling machine and elongated them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebekahsZ Posted September 12, 2013 Author Share Posted September 12, 2013 About how much? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nix240z Posted September 13, 2013 Share Posted September 13, 2013 About how much? About a 1/4". When you remove the stock one you will see what I am talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuoWing Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 My main reason for not removing the rear suspension crossmember is that I like it as a jacking point for the car. If you go to just the R/T mount, where do you guys jack the car up then? These old cars and images of rusty ones punching and crushing things always has me afraid when it comes to jacking these things up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 I put my jack under the differential, towards the back. The crossmember is a PITA to get to. Nigel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beermanpete Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 The differential itself is the factory recommended lifting point in the rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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