bp71k5
3/4 ton status
Hoby,
I'm not following how this step will work. How will you support the engine once the old crossmember is out? I'm curious how you do it without lifting it from above.
CK5
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DIY4X engine crossmember question....HELP PLEASE!!!
- Thread starter Big Blzn
- Start date
Hoby,
I'm not following how this step will work. How will you support the engine once the old crossmember is out? I'm curious how you do it without lifting it from above.
Well, I'm assuming I'll support the engine with the floor jack and some of my bigger jackstands on the oil pan using think plywood and 2x material between the pan and the jacks surface.. Figured I do it similar to the way guys do it when they change out there engine mounts or what not. Don't have a picker or I'd use one. Brian, do you think my idea wont work or is just horribly unsafe?
Yukon Jack
1/2 ton status
Brian, you can safely raise the engine by using like large board under the oil pan and a floor jack.
Here's a pic kind of showing what I mean.
Here's a pic kind of showing what I mean.
Hoby I have a hoist you can tow if you need it. But it would be cheaper to just go rent one for the weekend then drive 80 miles to me. But the offer is there.
Im pretty sure one of the guys close to you would have one you can borrow, do it right, less chit to go wrong.
Im pretty sure one of the guys close to you would have one you can borrow, do it right, less chit to go wrong.
bp71k5
3/4 ton status
That seems like it works.
ah yes the pic didnt show for me before, now I see what you are talking about. seems good like that to me. you can do it Hoby!!!!
That's what I'm likely to do.
Yukon' did you happen to loosen the two bolts a little that mount the trans and T-Case to the rear crossmember to let it pivot up easier? Just don't want to break or crack the plate that mounts to two together.
Yukon Jack
1/2 ton status
Yes, I had it all loose as I was putting in a different transfer case and also modifying the engine crossmember when that was occurring.
So, I'm well on my way to getting this x-member installed. Was a bit challenging to get the old x-member out but finally succeeded. The DIY x-member is a work of art. Very well done. I took the advice given and bolted it all up so all the nuts and bolts were loose but still attaching all the pieces together. It's all installed now so I just need to get under there and tighten up all the nuts. Then monkey with the jack to line up the main bracket bolts and install them.
Here is a pic (albeit small) of how I am supporting the engine.
-Losened all the OEM nuts and bolts.
-Jacked up the engine about 2".
-Properly cut to length (34") 4x4 wood.
-Placed 4x4 across top of both leaf packs just under the oil pan.
-4x4 wood was perfect height to be able to raise engine and set it down on top of wood to give good clearence.
-Used one of my 12 ton jackstands as additional security.
So far so good. The only thing is that the install would have been much easier if I removed the alternator. There is a lot of small limited acess areas to be able to tighten the nuts down easily. My knuckles are toast from tight access to some of the bolts.
Here is a pic (albeit small) of how I am supporting the engine.
-Losened all the OEM nuts and bolts.
-Jacked up the engine about 2".
-Properly cut to length (34") 4x4 wood.
-Placed 4x4 across top of both leaf packs just under the oil pan.
-4x4 wood was perfect height to be able to raise engine and set it down on top of wood to give good clearence.
-Used one of my 12 ton jackstands as additional security.
So far so good. The only thing is that the install would have been much easier if I removed the alternator. There is a lot of small limited acess areas to be able to tighten the nuts down easily. My knuckles are toast from tight access to some of the bolts.
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Good to hear. I kinda wish I would of gone with that cross member, just did not know it existed when I was buying stuff. I tried to do the ORD cross member, but did not like the set up of changing to the later model cross member/engine mounts. I may go back and do this as it would be nice to get to the oil pan without messing with the motor
I would highly recommend the DIY x-member. Don't you aready have your blazer mostly apart? Even if not, atleast it's somewhat easy if you have my minimal sikills.
Need some help in a bad way.
So, I get the passenger side bushing bolt in that connects the engine mount to the x-member. Was a bit of a challenge but I got it. THEN, I go to install the drivers side bushing bolt and I am off by about 1/4". What do you recommend I do to fix? As I jack the engine with the one bushing bolt in on the pass side the engine tends to go up and down in an arch so I can't "pry or shove" the engine to the drivers side. I'm afraid to loosen some of the other bracket bolts as They are tight with the serrations on the bolt heads and I'm afraid I will bust another bolt head off as I did earlier today on another bolt. I'm thinking about usind a die grinder and a carbide bit to open up the bolt hole in the engine bracket a bit to give be some room to get the bolt in. This would be a last resort though. ANyone have any advice? Thanks in advance.
Hoby
So, I get the passenger side bushing bolt in that connects the engine mount to the x-member. Was a bit of a challenge but I got it. THEN, I go to install the drivers side bushing bolt and I am off by about 1/4". What do you recommend I do to fix? As I jack the engine with the one bushing bolt in on the pass side the engine tends to go up and down in an arch so I can't "pry or shove" the engine to the drivers side. I'm afraid to loosen some of the other bracket bolts as They are tight with the serrations on the bolt heads and I'm afraid I will bust another bolt head off as I did earlier today on another bolt. I'm thinking about usind a die grinder and a carbide bit to open up the bolt hole in the engine bracket a bit to give be some room to get the bolt in. This would be a last resort though. ANyone have any advice? Thanks in advance.
Hoby
loosen it all up...
Well, to loosen is my first thought but when I went to loosen some of the easily accessible bolts they were so hard to begin to loosen up that I thought I was going to break a head off the bolts as I did this morning on one (I actually cross-threaded one while installing and it broke the head off while tightening). I don't believe I over torqued them it's just that the bolts have the little serrated features that act as a locking mechanism.
the serrated heads shouldn't matter, other than marring the surface... once you loosen it a 1/4 turn the serrations are no longer grabbing.. you should be loosening the nut, not the bolt anyway if possible.. but either way, they should come apart..
iirc, Kert's stuff usually have pinch locknuts. if thats the case, thats why they where hard tightening, and now coming apart... tho tough, you shouldn't be snapping heads, unless like earlier, it got crossthreaded....
tho I'm not familiar with Kert's setup, usually if the 2 main mount bolts wont line up, you can just loosen the lower 1/2 of the mount to the x-member to get enough play... i just had to do that on my ORD one recently..
iirc, Kert's stuff usually have pinch locknuts. if thats the case, thats why they where hard tightening, and now coming apart... tho tough, you shouldn't be snapping heads, unless like earlier, it got crossthreaded....
tho I'm not familiar with Kert's setup, usually if the 2 main mount bolts wont line up, you can just loosen the lower 1/2 of the mount to the x-member to get enough play... i just had to do that on my ORD one recently..
brandoneh
1/2 ton status
yah. I had the same problem. It was a tight fit to get things together. What I did was loosen EVERYTHING UP. Put the motor mount bolts through the bushings. Now drop the motor in and connect it to the VERY SLACKED c channels and crossmember. Everything should be able to get close enough to start threading the bolts/nuts. Then I started to tighten opposite sides to suck things back up tight.
Perhaps there is an easier way. I'm not sure. I do remember being in your spot and scratching my head. Also going to town to get that last bolt through the bushing. Hope this helps!
Perhaps there is an easier way. I'm not sure. I do remember being in your spot and scratching my head. Also going to town to get that last bolt through the bushing. Hope this helps!
Yeah...[/quote]
I did take your advice (most of it anyways) Mikey but I didn't, for some reason, include the bushing bolts in that equasion.
I tried as Paul mentioed above to loosen up the bolts to slack everything up and when I put my Crapsman impact on the highest setting in reverse those little fockers still would come loose. If I worked at it with the impact they porbably would eventually back off but I can only get to 4 of the 8 bolts with the impact.
I think I got it figured out though. What i did was take my 90* die grinder and just oblonged the two holes in the engine mount. I suppose this really shouldn't affect anything. Now I just have to take the powersteering pump off to get the bushing bolt in the hole. Should work out just fine. Now it will be the first time ever taking a p-steering pump off
BTW, just so everyone knows, The fitment, IMO has nothing to do with the quality of the x-member. My rig is 38 years old and with all the settling and frame twisting, etc the blazer has gone through, factory tolarences are sure to be off by a bit.
Well, I got it all in tonight. Now I just have to reinstall the power steering pump and the fuel pump ( had to loosen and partially remove both to get the bushing bolts in). Should be easy sailing from here. All this just to be able to replace the rear main seal.
Thanks for all the help fellas and bearing with the NOOB mechanic. Much appreciated.
Thanks for all the help fellas and bearing with the NOOB mechanic. Much appreciated.
Yeah mine was ultra tight also, But after i loosend EVERYTHING up i was able to get it in. I mean the big C's that go in the frame, the pieces that bolt to that, the tube that crosses, the plates tha bolt to the block...etc. And i did it without the body on the frame, so its no wonder you are having a time with it.
Although this is to late as you have it in there. Good job by the way
Although this is to late as you have it in there. Good job by the way
