Drilling new tranny crossmember holes

[Russell]

hey guys!

Does anyone have any good ideas for how a guy can drill some new holes for a tranny crossmember? Specifically, how would I get the holes drilled up tops?

I've got one of the older 3 peice tranny crossmembers if that makes any difference. It has the main member that is suppost to bolt to the top, and two small support members that bolt to the bottom of the rails, and to the main member.

[mhicks]

I am in the process of doing that now. I just got my driveshaft back from being shortened and I have put a 700R4 in. I am hoping I can put it back in the same place. I will find out tonight. When I was installing the new motor with transmission bolted to it I liked about a 1/2 inch from getting the motor mounts to lign up. The crossmember was hitting the pat and it only liked a little. I have since moved the crossmember and have the motor bolted in. I was hoping the crossmember can go back to the original place(fingers crossed).
I liked to have never gotton the top bolts loose from the frame on the crossmember. With the top of the frame almost touching the frame. I was kinda thinking about drilling a hole in the floorboard and drilling the top crossmember holes in the frame and making the hole in the floor the same size of a hole that plugs are available. I haven't yet looked for plug sizes. I also thought about not even putting the other crossmember brackets on.
Has anybody gone without them before?

[86 GMG]

why not try to use a 90 degree drill and dont push withall you might just enough to drill the fram and not the cab ??????? if this doesnt sound fessable than i must have not read the thread correctly any how good liuck with the install i hope my suggestion has help or atleast opened the door for another idea from another member

[jermasaurus]

The crossmember is gonna have to move back like 3 inches or so. I just left the small upper piece fo the crossmember off and it's fine. The 90 degree drill sounds good, if I only had one.

[mkundo]

I always start the drilling with a small drill (1/4) as a pilot. Then you can drill
with the correct size drill. It works for me.

[Grande Rojo]

I did not use the top bolts when I put my 700r4 in.
I did have to move the crossmember back a little and re-drill the holes like said. I did drill them a little lager than stock and used a larger Grade 8 nut and bolt since I did not use the top brackets. Never had any problems.