TH350 Trans Cross Member Removal

[69GMCLonghorn]

Well, I'm about a year and a half into (and over my HEAD on) restoring a '70 1/2 ton long bed. Currently, I'm cleaning and painting the frame in its entirety. I jeehawed (sp??) the bolts out of the trans cross member last night, but it's wedged in there tight! I hit it a few times with the biggest of the BFH's in my garage and moved it a little. I'm thinking I might be crossing a line that I don't want or need to cross. So now for the questions:

1) Is there any trick to removing it more easily? And of course, re-installing it!!
2) Am I going to be screwed if I remove it? (meaning, will I ever get it back in??)

[Gromit]

Just an opinion here while we're waiting for someone who knows; but mine didn't look like it (the factory cross member) would come out without cutting. I also have the long bed. Thought I did not try removing the steel fuel and vent lines to see what happened if I pounded that side back - but on the drivers side there is a dimple in the chassis rail that prevents the trans cross member from sliding back.

Can't recall why I never tried moving the cross member forward but there must have been a reason - I've only tried with the whole truck still put together... not frame off of course.

Also as an aside I think the cross member is an important part of the strength of the chassis and I wince at those aftermarket cross members that only bolt to the bottom holes (instead of both the upper and lower) because it looks to me like that type would permit the c-channel chassis steel to twist.

But there are some very nice and IMO superior aftermarket cross members and I believe they are in two or more pieces - partly so they can be bolted in without a lot of pounding.

[cdowns]

I always just took a big cclamp and put it on the frame by the crossmember to stop it from movin and wacked the livin crap out of it with my trusty bfh (minisledge) it came right out and went back in the same way

[michael bustamante]

hit one side of the crossmember back toward the rear end then hit the other side toward the engine. and you will need at least a 2 pound sledge