No. 2 crossmember removal ?

['66 coupe]

I'm trying to get my LCA's off the car, but I can't seem to even budge the bolts that hold in the No. 2 crossmember. I've even tried using an SN95 Subframe connector as a breaker bar. Anyone know any tricks?

 

[65fastbackresto]

You mean the bolt holding it to the car right?

I used a die grinder and cutoff wheel on one of mine. Take a pry bar and push it over to one side a little where you can get a bite and hack away. Mine were frozen in place, couldn`t turn them either.

 

['66 coupe]

Yea, it's the bolts holding the the crossmember to the frame.
I'd like to avoid cutting anything, but it sounds like you had the same problem I'm having. So you cut the bolts? How did you get them out of the frame once they were cut?

I still think I'm gonna stay away from cutting if possible.

 

[65fastbackresto]

I thought you were talking about

the bolt going thru the frame holding the LCA on. Your trying to remove the LCA right? Why are you messing with the crossmember?

 

[CraigMBA]

Before I get cute and do a google image search, what the heck is the #2 crossmember? Is that the one in between the shocktowers (under the oilpan) that bolts onto the frame rails, or is it the trans crossmember?

If it's the front one under the oil pan, you DON'T WANT TO cut the bolts. They are a funny taper bolt and you can't really buy them easily. Spray with BP blaster, hit them once or twice right in the middle as hard as you can with a ball peen hammer, and then use a 1/2 drive impact gun to remove them. They are on tight. Good luck.

 

[rbohm]

dont mess with the crossmember as you dont need to to replace the lower control arms.

 

['66 coupe]

the bolt going thru the frame holding the LCA on. Your trying to remove the LCA right? Why are you messing with the crossmember?

Because the pivot bolt for the LCA hits the crossmember. The pivot bolt is loose, and there would be no problem getting it off the car if the crossmember wasn't in the way of it's escape.

Before I get cute and do a google image search, what the heck is the #2 crossmember? Is that the one in between the shocktowers (under the oilpan) that bolts onto the frame rails, or is it the trans crossmember?

Yes, I mean the one under the oil pan(or under where it would be if there was an engine in the car).

Spray with BP blaster, hit them once or twice right in the middle as hard as you can with a ball peen hammer, and then use a 1/2 drive impact gun to remove them. They are on tight. Good luck.

Tried the PB blaster, and the hammer. I'm gonna look at some air tools tomorrow. Luckily, I'm still so early on in the project that air tools would be a great investment.

dont mess with the crossmember as you dont need to to replace the lower control arms.

?!!

The bolt holding the LCA pivot bolt won't come out because it's hitting the crossmember.
If the nut was to the rear, and the bolt entered through the front, that would be one thing. But the bolt was put in through the rear, and is blocked by the crossmember.

 

['66 coupe]

Found this:
http://www.mustangmonthly.com/projectbuild/mump_0007_mustang_front_suspension_upgrade/photo_16.html

In the pic it looks like they got their crossmember loose.

 

[CraigMBA]

The hammer is just to help it "break" loose the frozen fastener. If you have a punch, that will help.

Because of the size and the taper, you can't get the bolt out without air tools. A six foot cheater bar isn't enough to break it loose.

I think those bolts and the pinion nut are the only two fasteners on the car that require air tools to remove. All the other ones you can get off by hand.

 

[65fastbackresto]

Oh yea he is right

I had to remove the crossmember too to get the LCA out. CraigMBA is right, your probably gonna need an impact more then likely to bust those loose. I had forgotten about having to remove that.

 

[CraigMBA]

When you first posted #2 crossmember, I was like WTF?

 

['66 coupe]

The impact wrench made VERY short work of it. Thanks, guys.