Crossmember removal?

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J

JUGG

Member
Posts
54
Location
Aberdeenshire
Has anyone got any clever wee tricks to get the middle crossmember out From between the chassis without the use of a farm jack as I don't have one?
Or is it not that stiff in there?

Cheers for any pointers!
 
4lb lump hammer and a wooden and block. Hold wood block against cross member and hit the block not the cross member with the lump hammer. Goes back the same way, just don't hit it as hard as you get closer to lining up the bolt holes:D
 
I removed mine by cutting it to pieces..... and cut the old bolts with an mini angle grinder.

A bigger challenge will be fitting the new one.
 
Putting it back in is when you may struggle, you may need to prise the chassis rails open a bit with a block of timber or use a even bigger hammer. (Actually mine was not too bad to take out or put back)
 
Pah, crossmembers are a doddle to remove - mine hadn't been removed for 33years! So, I thought about how best to remove/refit

Removal:
  1. Jetwash/steam off all crud so at least you're working in a clean area
  2. Soak the crossmember plates to chassis and all 8x nuts/bolts with PlusGas for a good 2-3days, and keep re-soaking each day with PlusGas
  3. Remove all nuts/bolts [MapGas may be needed here...]
  4. With lump hammer and hefty wood on crossmember end, thwack wood until one end moves, then move to other side and repeat
  5. Keep alternating sides as this stops the crossmember binding to the chassis
  6. Crossmember drops off
Refitting:
  1. Before refitting refurb' crossmember and be sure to jetwash/steam clean our all crud inside the crossmember, dry and thoroughly treat with a Dinitrol/Bilt Hamber chassis rust treatment
  2. Grease both end plates and the chassis areas with a water proof grease/lubricant - Amsoil red and/or ceramic spray grease are ideal
  3. Tap/thwack crossmember back into place alternating each side - the crossmember self opens the chassis if it's very tight and the grease removes any chance of binding
  4. Line up bolt holes with a long taper punch
  5. Re-fit new pre-greased bolts and washers, Loctite threads and fit new nuts and washers and torque up; job done.
 
If you are lucky you will be able to knock it out (as others have said). Mine was a bitch as the chassis rusts behind the wings and everything swells up. I resorted to the @Kurt Gustafson method.
I then needed to plate the inside of the chassis, which was mostly less than 1mm thick and or missing.
Fortunately a new one isn't overly expensive, bolt-on-bits or insideout4x4 do the flat galvanised (300tdi) ones for about £110, the round ones are less (as are non galvanised).
Plenty of waterproof grease on reassembly ... like lots of it.
 
Mine is the gearbox support/X-member of a 300tdi which is in the middle of the chassis.
Mine needed cutting up as it had rusted against the chassis (swelled it had). I did one on an older Defender and it popped out with the help of a lump hammer and a piece of 4x4 fence post, the previous owner had removed it and applied loads of copperslip some years previous...
 
Sean said:
gorra bottle jack and some wood blocks ?
Click to expand...
I third this approach. (lynall was second)
Far more civilised than a lump hammer. You'll be swinging it so hard you'll be hitting everything there is to hit under the Landy, including your head, and your wrist will be so carped you'll not be able to lift your beer that night.
 
"gorra bottle jack and some wood blocks?"

Don't think a hydraulic bottle-jack will work on its side, needs to be upright.
A good old reliable LR under-axle screw-jack with wooden blocks will do the job.
 
v8250 said:
What is it with Land Rover nuts & bolts? They're the only car I've owned where they come lose...even when properly torqued o_O
Click to expand...
The clue to this question is the word 'torqued' I never torque anything, I just do stuff up really tight. Whenever you use a torque wrench, give the nut/bolt and extra half a turn at least.

Col
 
Litch said:
"gorra bottle jack and some wood blocks?"

Don't think a hydraulic bottle-jack will work on its side, needs to be upright.
A good old reliable LR under-axle screw-jack with wooden blocks will do the job.
Click to expand...

a halfords 2 ton bottle Jack works on its side and is small enough you can fit it round the exhaust. Piece of 125mm x 125mm wooden fence post and a metal spreader plate and you are golden.

I took my crossmember out this morning to sort my exhaust downpipe and did this very thing.

gap between chassis rails is 64cm so I cut a piece of wood to the right length minus the length of the bottle Jack when closed. Works well, spreader plate is to stop the head of the Jack burrowing into the wood
 
Sean said:
gorra bottle jack and some wood blocks ?
Click to expand...
This one, Use a bottle jack and a couple of pieces of old fence post. Do the same to refit. It is also much more civilized and less chance of damage and easier access than using a farm jack. If you don't have a bottle jack I would recommend buying one, they are very cheap second hand and fit behind the seat in a defender to be carried with you to allow you to change wheel in the event of a puncture. As some one else mentioned if you have a job you cannot do because you do not have the tools, buy the tools. Nect time you need them you will already have them rather than trying to bodge it and risk damaging things.
 
flat said:
a halfords 2 ton bottle Jack works on its side and is small enough you can fit it round the exhaust. Piece of 125mm x 125mm wooden fence post and a metal spreader plate and you are golden.

I took my crossmember out this morning to sort my exhaust downpipe and did this very thing.

gap between chassis rails is 64cm so I cut a piece of wood to the right length minus the length of the bottle Jack when closed. Works well, spreader plate is to stop the head of the Jack burrowing into the wood
Click to expand...
The land rover one also works on its side.
 
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