Has anyone reworked the front 4x4 crossmember - under trans one

[BigSix]

Has anyone reworked the front crossmember that goes under the transmission between the leafs? It is currently riveted in...and with my massive transmission...the only way to do any transmission work is to remove it with the engine.

I'd love to remove the one there and make a lower profile bolt in one. Currently the stock cross member is mighty close to the transmission and I think on test drive they will become too close as friends.

So anyhoo - if you've redone that crossmember, or just made any good looking crossmembers please let me know! I'd like to get this thing out of the way!

[padresag]

what trans?
ron

[BigSix]

I have a ZF5-47 in there.

[padresag]

In wouldn't worry about the cross member, just leave it as it is. I would just drop the trans out the bottom
ron

[padresag]

what size tires are you going to have and what have you done in the area of the dteering box?
ron

[BigSix]

As mentioned the crossmember does not allow trans out of the bottom. It goes in from firewall side and comes out the same way only. At the minimum I need to trim it down so the bottom of the trans doesn't hit. Maybe reinforce the sides so I can trim the top. Won't solve getting out the transmission issue but at least will give the clearance I need. Any ideas welcome. Tires are 315 p-metric so about 34-35. Steering box region is just a power steering conversion bracket.

[61K10]

goes under the trans between the leafs? if you are talking about the org bell-housing cross member take it out or cut the rivets out mod it and bolt it back in. you have a cross-member under the trans right?

[padresag]

Originally Posted by 61K10

goes under the trans between the leafs? if you are talking about the org bell-housing cross member take it out or cut the rivets out mod it and bolt it back in. you have a cross-member under the trans right?

it is not all that easy as the lower part of that member is a part of the rear spring hanger and the top part is restricted by the body over the frame at that point. you can cut it off but that is also a part of the support system at the rear at the springs.
I cannot understand why the trans sits so far forward unless the eng is set further forward and if so just sets more weight on that front axle. these front ends are not designed for that weight. ask how I know as I drove mine for 18 years with more weight on the front end then what he has. when I sold my detroit and trans the shipping weight was 1750 lbs. the frame takes a beating at the steering box with that weight and big tires

and this is when I was taking it out


front and rear eng mounting. the rear one is upside down but was made to fit in where the old one was

eng on the ground

ron

[BigSix]

The engine is actually further back than the stock V6 and approximately the same weight or lighter.

The problem is the diameter of the adapter...I did try and put the setup a little lower just for stability.


I have no idea how you drove with that detroit in there! Thats a lot of weight!

I don't want to hack out the crossmember. I could weld reinforcements to the front face and back face of the crossmember and then use the plasma to cut a small relief where the transmission rib is going to hit. I don't need to remove much if my only goal is clearance - just about an area about 1" wide and 1" deep from the exact middle. I would take it out in a curve shape just so there are no sharp edges and then weld 1/4" plate to the front and rear of the crossmember.

[padresag]

the handling and steering were good. it was a nice setup to drive. those old 453 were pretty noisy unless there was also a turbo involved which I didn't have. just the blower setup which they need to run. it was tough on the frame around the steering box. I can remember grade 8 mounting bolts snapping every once in a while. always carried spares. i had 36x15 x15 on it when i first had it. they were to much tire for the axles. I went to 33 x 12 1/3 and they are to much to turn when sitting as that puts a lot of pressure on the frame when turning with all that rubber on the ground.
I could drop the trams from the bottom and that is the way most trans should come out. to much work to pull an engine just to take a trans out.
on that cross member I would cut it just after the top and bottom pieces join and then weld plate across the end pieces. the just slip it back in place and bolt the plates together
ron

[BigSix]

It looks like you also had an SM420!? The ZF5-47 is a gigantic beast.

I'm over making it removable for now anyway.

I am just trying to trim it up for clearance in the center, and weld in supports so trimming the top middle doesn't make the crossmember fold.

[padresag]

mine was a NP 5 spd O/D. it is bigger than a SM420
ron

[padresag]

your trans is a ZFS5-47 or is it a ZFS-47. it would be out of a medium duty truck which is what mine would have been out of. why yours appears bigger as it has the b/h incorporated whereas mine didn't
ron

[BigSix]

Originally Posted by padresag

your trans is a ZFS5-47 or is it a ZFS-47. it would be out of a medium duty truck which is what mine would have been out of. why yours appears bigger as it has the b/h incorporated whereas mine didn't
ron

I have a ZF5-47 - no clue what a ZFS is. Mine is not out of a medium duty but the bellhousing and transmission case are 1 and uber ribbed. Its truly massive and overbuilt but at least it is aluminum.

So I braced the frame and took out the crossmember, gonna have to make it higher clearance on the transmission side and bolt in.

[padresag]

Originally Posted by BigSix

I have a ZF5-47 - no clue what a ZFS is. Mine is not out of a medium duty but the bellhousing and transmission case are 1 and uber ribbed. Its truly massive and overbuilt but at least it is aluminum.

So I braced the frame and took out the crossmember, gonna have to make it higher clearance on the transmission side and bolt in.

this will explain the zf5 and zfs5.
http://www.dieselhub.com/trans/ZF-5-speed.html.
these were used in lighter duty trucks f250, 350 and 450. mine was used in medium duty trucks
ron

[BigSix]

Very cool - your old transmission sounds awesome.