Crossmember Trouble.....

[Conundrum]

I ran into a problem while trying to put my sectioned crossmember in (from a 86 suburban), it is give or take a little a 1/2" narrower at the upper a-arm towers than the original (a 74 pickup) both half tons.
Did the frame width, maybe even the track width change at some point during the long production run of these trucks?
Or is there a difference between the suburban and pickup crossmembers that I wasn't aware of?

Will it be ok to go ahead and get this one on here, or should I just section the original?

[N2TRUX]

They should all be the same from 73-87. Is it possible you changed the dimensions while sectioning the crossmember?

[Conundrum]

I had thought about that, so I grabbed the support that I made before I did any cutting and set it up to the 74 crossmember and it fell 1/2" short as well. I built the support off the crossmember, so I think it should have stayed the same. And the main part of the support was made out of some 1/2" steel I had sitting around so I don't think it bent during the process. This has me stumped and dumbfounded!

[N2TRUX]

Anything is possible, but the crossmembers are all "supposed" to be the same. There have been tons of crossmember swaps done on 67-72 using 73-87 crossmembers, and I have never heard of anyone having an issue of the type.

Is it possible to tweak the crossmember to make it fit?

[Conundrum]

My dad has a portapower(?), I could possibly use that and try to spread it enough to fit.

I'll snap a couple pics soon, of my current situation....

[Conundrum]

So I measured the stock crossmember and another crossmember that i've got lying around from a 74 3/4 ton pickup, I measured the same points on each, a flat place on the front top and bottom inside of the UCA mount stand and here's what I got.....
..............Top.........Bottom......Center-Center of the front bottom bolt holes
Stock....29-7/16".....29-3/8"......26-3/8"
3/4 T....29-3/16".....29-1/4"......26-3/8"
Chppd....28-3/4"....28-15/16".....26" (these are slotted)

My dads got a portapower(?) so we may try and see if it will spread and work, or is this one lost? If so i'll try it again, and hopefully get it right this time around.

[Conundrum]

Well it worked!

[PRattenbury]

Good work!

[Pop's C-10]

By choice or by force..