Well, I messed up! I should have known better!

[nikwho]

For that cross member to bend like it did without pulling rivets and/or bolts, simple geometry tells me that it narrowed the distance between the frame rails. I won't be able to put my mind at ease, even with having successfully pulling it back into shape. I will end up removing it, determinin the appropriate distance between the rails and building a new cross member for that part of the frame and getting it right. The truck dropped approx. A foot before landing the cross member on the jack! That's a lot of energy! I will get it all squared away and get it into an alignment shop after installing some new geometry correcting a-arms. I was shocked that it changed the driveability of the truck, too, believe me! But, these cross members are what determines the distance between the frame rails. You taco one and it will most certainly change the distance between the frame rails! Anywho, it came back into shape surprisingly easily! I inched my big 7,500lb truck forward VERY slowly, fractions of an inch at a time. It worked out very nicely! It's back to near factory location, though, I will very likely be replacing the cross member, reguardless.

NC