Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark IV
Please be aware that the factory's official position is that a "removable" cross member removes all warranty and liability from the chassis so modified.
There is a dealer service bulletin telling us not to do it.
Guys, there is no need to cut the crossmember out. The trans comes out easily with the tunnel removed. Yes, there is messy sealer on the tunnel but put down some self-stick carpet runner and run a putty knife around the sealer.
Yes, you can sneak the trans out the rear but it is tight. If you have a good engine hoist you can pull the entire unit out in way less time than cutting and welding.
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Well, first off, my car is WAY out of warranty, so I don't care about that. My crossmember is constructed so that it ties the frame rails together very securely and I'm confident that it's as rigid as the factory made it. Secondly, I'd rather build three new crossmembers than remove that tunnel, carpet, seats, seat belts, sticky goop, etc. And, once the removable crossmember has been constructed, the time required to remove the transmission by itself vs. pulling the engine and trans together isn't even remotely close to the same effort.
Ted