Trans cross member

[RICH MUISE]

I agree with Gary. The only way I'd go thru the frame is welding in a heavy wall piece of tubing protruding just a tad on inside and outside, then grinding flush after welding.
Rich

[hiball3985]

Do other components like the steering box and idler arm that are bolted through the frame have tubes? I wouldn't think the trans cross member would have to be tightened to the point of collapsing the frame? I would just snug it down good with lock nuts.

[gasman826]

Yes, they do!

[hiball3985]

Thanks, I'll have to take a look at that next week when I pull my box.

[gasman826]

I'm not saying that you would crush the frame but as you torque the bolts, the sides of the frame will squeeze some before the bolts are fully torqued.  Under normal driving conditions, stopping and starting, the cross member will move and eventually erode the bolt holes.  The frame was not that thick to begin with and 50 years of rust has them a little thinner.  Both the steering box and idler arm have sleeves.

[hiball3985]

It sounds like Rich's idea of putting in a tube would work pretty well then.

[Frankenstein57]

On racecars we would slip a piece of tube through and weld it like Gary and Rich are saying, then you can tighten it up all you want, Mark