Replacing the transmission cross member

[Darren]

Mine is dented, (probably at the Pit) and would appear to not be a very strong design for a place that is susceptible to hitting the floor. I had a search on line and found these guys in the states Budbuilt.com . Has anyone fitted anything like this to their surf and can they be sourced in the UK (I imagine budbuilts would be very expensive to post)
Darren

[JimL]

not very strong design??? if you've bent this then be glad it was there to take the knock!

[Darren]

I am assuming I bent it, the truck was only a week old at the bit and I discovered the dent after, it may have been there for years but the rest of the underside was very clean. The replacement ones seem to be common in the states and are actually thinner and hence give a little more ground clearance as well as more strength, but it would appear no one has thought of it over here.

[Darren]

I've now found these ones aswell,

http://www.4x4wire.com/toyota/reviews/crossmember/

http://www.frontrangeoffroadfab.com/crossmember.htm

does anyone have anything like this or know where I could get something similar in the UK, I'm assuming fabricating specially would cost a fortune
Darren

[TonyN]

but it would appear no one has thought of it over here.

No? Been there, done that....



About 3 years ago

IMHO its not worth the effort or expense of shipping one over, anything that will bend a Toy crossmember will bend an aftermarket one, the increased ground clearance is about 2" but I've rarely had a surf hooked up on the crossmember, with ruts your axles are far lower. The yanks need to build a custom x member cos most of them run dual T/cases and the second t/case needs supporting.

With dual cases, the front prop is further back, giving you more room for the crossmember, look at mine one, I had to notch a big chunk out and brace it from above to clear the front prop.

It works good, but is really heavy compared to a stock one.

Just get a used one and slap it on.

If you really want one, the Front range types that fix to insides of the chassi rails are the best for clearance, but you'll have no protection underneath.

Bud's ones are the originals from years back, and work fine.

[Darren]

Thanks for the advice, I don't think mine is too badly bent yet to need replacing, It just seemed to have bent after not much impact and I now cringe everytime there is some kind of breakover and I hear the middle touch the floor, I guess I was just looking for something that would inspire more confidence in it's strength. If you reckon the after market ones will bend as much as the toyota then I will stick with what I've got. As a first timer I think I was going too fast up the hills at the pit when it got damaged, it would appear all the advice I've read since is slow and steady, we all got to learn.
Had the surf a year now and loving it, I do alot of voluntary work with the scouts and the surf pulled a trailer with all the gear for 23 scouts to camp in the new forest over the long weekend and escaped easily from a deceptively deep muddy ditch I parked in. Still Grinning.

[kitesurf_phil]

Ooer! I had better check mine. I have had all four wheels off the ground at the Pit....................without gettting airborne.