TECH: Seperation anxiety: X-member-Clip

[El Caballo]

You can remove a '73-'87 Chevy A-arm assembly by removing the shocks, swaybar bushing clips, and fourteen bolts on the crossmember to frame.


I'll have some pics up later, but the crossmember is actually pretty easy to remove and you don't have to compress the springs, unbolt the A-arms from the frame or anything. I found this out after I power washed the clip I got from Bob. As I went along the mystery of how I would do it revealed itself after 26 years of glop was blasted away. I will do my best to explain:

1. Undo the shocks and take off the four bolts that hold the swaybar to the frame rails. Removal of the lower engine mounts is manditory, and a pain in the ass.

2. You are going to need 5/8, 11/16, and 3/4 wrenches, short and deep sockets and a can of penetrating oil. Lots of it.

3. A foot long breaker and a hammer helped immensely. Persuasion...

4. The crossmember has spring cups on the ends and so do the lower A-arms. The springs will be held safely and securely in place throughout the entire operation.

5. On top of the spring cups on the X-mem is an L-shaped bracket that is riveted to the top of the spring cup through the bottom of the "L" and the back side of the "L" is bolted to the frame with four bolts. These bolts are in the same area as the Upper A-arm. Do not unbolt the A-arms!

6. The upper A-arms are bolted to the back of the "L" and there is a relief hole for each bolt in the frame. No need to mess with them, they are already shimmed from the factory so don't screw with it. Remember that the "L" is riveted to the top of the X-mem.

7. Above and below the relief holes you will see four 5/8" bolt heads, on the back side you will need to use your 11/16". Unbolt the top ones, on the bottom two the nuts are welded to the back of the "L".

8. Those bottom two bolts have yet another "L" that they are bolted to on the inside portion of the frame facing the engine compartment. Protruding through the frame from the bottom you will see three large bolts (3/4")sticking up on each side. Hope your hands are small enough and wrists flexible.

9. Unbolt the steering box and related steering arms that are bolted to the frame. Make sure there are no brake lines or anything like that still attached that will hang you up.

10. I have a motorcycle lift that I put the X-mem on to work on it, it is worth every cent I paid for it. Also, wear thick gloves, goggles, and a titty mask to keep the dust and remaining crud if any out of your mouth and eyes. Let the penetrating oil soak in, let your tools do the work. If my compressor was working my life would have been much easier.

Next item will be to remove the torsion bar setup from my '62 C10 and put the whole X-mem in. That is of course after I remove the front sheet metal and the 235 which uses the old X-mem as an engine mount. Phew!

[624]

I'm eager to see your pics!

I'll be tackling the same task soon on a 60.