T-5 crossmember

6Stang7

6Stang7

New Member
Jun 1, 2003
1,470
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Livermore, CA
#1
As some of you already know, I am going to be doing a T-5 swap. Mustangs Plus sells a T-5 cross member for $129. I looked at it, and it looks pretty simple to make. I have a CNC plasma cutter that I can use, and the welding involved looks pretty simple. My question is, does anyone have some dimensions for it? I was planning on drafting it up in AutoCAD, so if I can get every dimension and such, I can draft it up and cut it out. My dad told me that it was a bad idea because if I sold the car, the part failed, and caused an accident; then I would be help reasonable. Is this true? People do custom fabrication all the time, so I figure it would be legal. What do you think? Has anyone done this?

-Shaun
 

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#2
6Stang7 said:
As some of you already know, I am going to be doing a T-5 swap. Mustangs Plus sells a T-5 cross member for $129. I looked at it, and it looks pretty simple to make. I have a CNC plasma cutter that I can use, and the welding involved looks pretty simple. My question is, does anyone have some dimensions for it? I was planning on drafting it up in AutoCAD, so if I can get every dimension and such, I can draft it up and cut it out. My dad told me that it was a bad idea because if I sold the car, the part failed, and caused an accident; then I would be help reasonable. Is this true? People do custom fabrication all the time, so I figure it would be legal. What do you think? Has anyone done this?

-Shaun
Click to expand...

I don't think you would be responsible as long as you arn't selling it as a product to consumers. If you produced them and sold them to others then you would be liable. I can't really say for sure though I havent studied law. The cross member is fairly simple, i dont know how much use a CNC plasma cutter will be. You basicaly just need a welder, and somthing to make the end brakets (I guess you could use the CNC for those). Here are some different designs you can consider, I cant help you with the dimensions though

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#5
What parts and work does it take to go from a 4spd Top to a modern t-5... Does anybody know of a shop in California who does the swap or is it something I can tackle myself. I am have done plenty of clutch replacements in foxbody car and plenty of AOD to t-5 swaps...
 
#10
dont know if it crossed your mind...but you could always unbolt the old one and take some measurements... :stick:

seriously though, take the measurement from mounting point to mounting point-b in your drawing, then take the 'a' measurement from the old crossmember and add the right amount to it. you could find this distance out by measuring from the trans mount to the centerline of the output shaft on the trans for both trannys and subtracting. i think you also need to move the mount point back by .75 inches or so, another easy measurement. you also have the original crossmember to go by as a reference, or maybe you could even modify it?

plus, if you do it yourself, you KNOW it will fit right. thats what i'm gonna do this winter over my break. if you havent done yours by then i'll give you my specs.
 
#11
3spd on floor said:
dont know if it crossed your mind...but you could always unbolt the old one and take some measurements... :stick:

seriously though, take the measurement from mounting point to mounting point-b in your drawing, then take the 'a' measurement from the old crossmember and add the right amount to it. you could find this distance out by measuring from the trans mount to the centerline of the output shaft on the trans for both trannys and subtracting. i think you also need to move the mount point back by .75 inches or so, another easy measurement. you also have the original crossmember to go by as a reference, or maybe you could even modify it?

plus, if you do it yourself, you KNOW it will fit right. thats what i'm gonna do this winter over my break. if you havent done yours by then i'll give you my specs.
Click to expand...

Yes, I could get B on my own, but that would require me to crawl under my car, brace the tranny, unbolt the cross member, and measure it; and I'm lazy. :D Point B is not a big problem though, it would just make it easier if some who knew it could tell me. A is the one that I really care about, because if I don't get A right, then the tranny won't be level. I don't have a T-5 to mesure now, I if anyone know what it is, then please post it.


-Shaun
 
#12
i'll be home in less than two weeks and will be starting on mine, so i'll hit you up with the specs and/or a CAD file of the part how i'm going to make it. if you dont have a trans with you i'd say that time probably isnt of the essense. good luck to ya.
 
#13
3spd on floor said:
i'll be home in less than two weeks and will be starting on mine, so i'll hit you up with the specs and/or a CAD file of the part how i'm going to make it. if you dont have a trans with you i'd say that time probably isnt of the essense. good luck to ya.
Click to expand...

That'll work, I think. I take it you're at college right now, correct? I also planed on doing all this during my winter break, but I would like to get the crossmember drawn up before my old high school goes on break, because that is where the CNC plasma cutter is. What date will you be back by?

-Shaun
 
#14
yeah i'm away at school now, and i should be back by the 16th. hopefully i'll have it measured and drawn up by the 18th or so. i just realized that you have a 67 though, and mine is a 66. are they the same except for the parking brake mount?
 
#15
You dont need specs really. Just bolt the tranny in place and jack it up under the center to where you want it to sit and messure the distane from mounting point on the frame, and the drop from the trans mount. Theres not really much to it. 3 simple messuerments and thats it. No need to get all into and make it complicated with CAD or whatever, its 15 minutes of messuring and welding.
 
#16
TurboDoctor said:
You dont need specs really. Just bolt the tranny in place and jack it up under the center to where you want it to sit and messure the distane from mounting point on the frame, and the drop from the trans mount. Theres not really much to it. 3 simple messuerments and thats it. No need to get all into and make it complicated with CAD or whatever, its 15 minutes of messuring and welding.
Click to expand...


CAD will make it A LOT easier. Maybe this is just for me though, I have been drafting for over 4 years, so it is pretty much seconded nature to me. 5 mins to draft it up, 5 mins to cut it out on the CNC plasma cutter, and 5 mins to weld it up. So in 15 mins I have a professional looking crossmember. I have been reading some T-5 swap write ups, and one said that it was pretty important that I got the tail shaft in the right place, otherwise I will mess up my pinion angle. Does anyone have the T-5 crossmember for a 67 that hasn't been installed? If you do, could you get some mesurements for me? My friend has a 64 1/2 with a T-5, and I was gonna drop his and mesure what A would be. Will this varrie between a 64 1/2 crossmember and a 67? If it doesn't, then I'll draft up the crossmember and post it up just incase anyone wants it. If it does varrie, then I'll just copy it, draft it, and post it for anyone who needs it, ie 3spd on floor.

-Shaun
 
#18
pinion angle has nothing to do with where you put the tail shaft, pinion angle has to deal with where the angle of the rear yoke on the differental, in simple terms. However if you dont alighn the tail shaft you will have u-joint issue and possibly vibration. But all you have to do is center it square, side to side and you should not have any problem. With the tranny bolted to the engine there is not much to it, the engine pretty much keeps it where it needs to be, give or take a little.
 
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