Author Topic: frontrange's crossmember good? or bad? (Read 7178 times)

4.3 headache · « **on:** Dec 25, 2004, 05:00:19 PM »

I'm looking for some info on frontrange's transfercase crossmember. Specifically whether over the long-term if it
could cause actual case to crack?? I'm tired of the crappy toy mount . Is it worth buying?

lowgeared · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 26, 2004, 05:36:28 AM »

They do appear to give more clearance. I just think they look weak and cheesy. I'd stick with a Sky or Marlin skid plate and save your transfer case(s) from abuse.

stomper · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 26, 2004, 11:00:22 AM »

Ive installed one on a SA Tacoma I like the design alot. The fact it bolts to all of the T-case bolts makes it a lot stronger than the factory type mounts. Also the skid plate that gose with it is a must Or if you have a body lift and do A drivetrain lift you could do A flat belly pan.

Red_Chili · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 30, 2004, 09:21:55 AM »

I installed it on my 87 4Runner SAS. I liked how stiff it made my formerly floppy drivetrain (ultimate crawler). I didn't like the additional vibrations transmitted to the cab by the rubber mounts on the one I bought, so I did a bunch of research on soft urethane mounts. They worked much better, I shared the knowledge with Brian, and he now ships the crossmember with those mounts (and prominently advertises so. Hmmm, wonder if I could get royalties?

).

The only downside is, you have to remove the bolts off the tcase to remove the crossmember (not a particularly frequent occurrence), and if you had hoped to not drain the tcase first you will soon be looking at the world through gear oil.

It will come in mighty handy with my motor swap where the drivetrain must move north by about 3" or so.

Its a good crossmember, but so are other options. It offers some additional flexibility on drivetrain placement if that is something you need.

Hope that helps,

dirtyskivies · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 30, 2004, 10:05:54 AM »

i run it, it makes the drivetrain lift simple. ive run a couple budbuilts too, all are good stuff....the allpro design hung up on rocks for me.

MidgetMike · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 30, 2004, 09:51:26 PM »

My buddy and Iare designing one like front ranges now just so I can do a drivetrain lift more easly I like the siplicity, I will run a belly pan mounted to the frame though because I don't want to hit my tranny on anything skid plate on it or not

mr4x42u · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 31, 2004, 09:28:07 AM »

I also run the fror and love the lift and clearance it offers,,With marlins new clocked adapter I can go flatbelly wth out cutting the floor and with ony a 2in body lift,,,The down side is if you slam really hard on a rock I guess the t-case bolts could bust,,This info came from sky,so i don't kow myself 1st hand..I'm not worried about it,,soon,,flatbelly,,I just have to sell my adapter and cough up 250bucks more..

bkg · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 31, 2004, 04:47:06 PM »

Brian makes very good stuff. I don't have his crossmember (made my own before his came out), but I have his twin stick. Great quality, great products, great support.

I personally have seen no evidence that his crossmember causes any hard to the tcase...

guywithuglyyota · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 09, 2005, 11:04:48 PM »

I am about to order one myself. Im not concearned with the skidplate issue, if im going to be coming down on rocks that are big enoigh to reach my t case, I will be crawling, which means less impact. And the plate seems to rest directly on the t case, which would dissapate the force evenly if you did smack anything. When I get it bolted up I will try it out and let you know!

FRORFab · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 15, 2005, 10:35:45 AM »

Quote from: mr4x42u on Dec 31, 2004, 09:28:07 AM

I also run the fror and love the lift and clearance it offers,,With marlins new clocked adapter I can go flatbelly wth out cutting the floor and with ony a 2in body lift,,,The down side is if you slam really hard on a rock I guess the t-case bolts could bust,,This info came from sky,so i don't kow myself 1st hand..I'm not worried about it,,soon,,flatbelly,,I just have to sell my adapter and cough up 250bucks more..

I love blatant lies...

In the past 5 years of use. There are ZERO cases of cracked, bent, broken trannies or tcases from using this xmember. There are also ZERO cases of bent/ broken/damaged xmember bolts. Testing of this was dropping a 1.5" lifted truck off a 4-5 FOOT tall ledge, over and over and over, and over.... again. No failures, no leaks.

And yes, soon we will have a clocked version of this design.

As for drivetrain lifting, longer bolts and spacers, done. Everything comes up.

guywithuglyyota · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 15, 2005, 03:26:17 PM »

I have noticed a lot of personal reviews on products by people who have never actually owned the product! Its funny how people tend to "figure" that something will not hold up just by a few photographs. And if someone asks for an opinion please give them a real world experience, not a guess. Its bad for the non corporate fabricators to get ahead when there are a few people roaming from forum to forum making false claims about the fabricators gear. I will install mine next week and let you guys hear a review from an actual user. (sorry if that comes out harsh, I havent eaten lunch so im cranky)

lowgeared · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 15, 2005, 06:09:45 PM »

In my humble opinion since I have actually rockcrawled on a "professional" level, I have ripped the factory crossmember off of the frame and snapped off the cast in mounting bosses on the bottom of the low range unit of a transfer case. I personally feel that a thick ass piece of plate steel is better than leaving your cast aluminum transfer case with it's ass hanging out in the breeze. I like the way the FROR bracket bolts to the output shaft housing, it looks strong as hell! I just didn't like the look of the skid plate part of it as it appeared to look no different than the factory toyota type.

laoseth · « **Reply #12 on:** Feb 08, 2005, 08:34:19 PM »

I have that x-member and love it. It secures the engine so well, you don't even need to bolt in the engine mounts. As for the skid plate "looking" like the stock skid plate, the stock plate is 16 gauge steel, and the front range is 1/4 steel. It weighs like 20 pounds. And seeing as the skid plate mounts to where ths stock x-member mounts, there should be no problem there. I agree with guywithuglyyota, if someone asks for an info on a product, don't talk out of your ass. There are plenty of people who actually have experiance with a product, and have useful, real world experiance to share.

MidgetMike · « **Reply #13 on:** Feb 08, 2005, 10:26:48 PM »

Here's mine like FROR's I like it alot and it gives you a ton of clearance.

mr4x42u · « **Reply #14 on:** Feb 09, 2005, 01:33:12 AM »

Quote from: FRORFab on Jan 15, 2005, 10:35:45 AM

Quote from: mr4x42u on Dec 31, 2004, 09:28:07 AM
I also run the fror and love the lift and clearance it offers,,With marlins new clocked adapter I can go flatbelly wth out cutting the floor and with ony a 2in body lift,,,The down side is if you slam really hard on a rock I guess the t-case bolts could bust,,This info came from sky,so i don't kow myself 1st hand..I'm not worried about it,,soon,,flatbelly,,I just have to sell my adapter and cough up 250bucks more..

I love blatant lies...

In the past 5 years of use. There are ZERO cases of cracked, bent, broken trannies or tcases from using this xmember. There are also ZERO cases of bent/ broken/damaged xmember bolts. Testing of this was dropping a 1.5" lifted truck off a 4-5 FOOT tall ledge, over and over and over, and over.... again. No failures, no leaks.

I have never had a problem with this crossmember,,I don't know any one who has..But don't ya think its possible it happened and you did not hear about it?I mean just slightly possible?seems possible to me,,people dirve like animals somtimes..I think anything is possible..

MidgetMike · « **Reply #15 on:** Feb 09, 2005, 05:35:42 PM »

Quote from: mr4x42u on Feb 09, 2005, 01:33:12 AM

Quote from: FRORFab on Jan 15, 2005, 10:35:45 AM
Quote from: mr4x42u on Dec 31, 2004, 09:28:07 AM
I also run the fror and love the lift and clearance it offers,,With marlins new clocked adapter I can go flatbelly wth out cutting the floor and with ony a 2in body lift,,,The down side is if you slam really hard on a rock I guess the t-case bolts could bust,,This info came from sky,so i don't kow myself 1st hand..I'm not worried about it,,soon,,flatbelly,,I just have to sell my adapter and cough up 250bucks more..

I love blatant lies...

In the past 5 years of use. There are ZERO cases of cracked, bent, broken trannies or tcases from using this xmember. There are also ZERO cases of bent/ broken/damaged xmember bolts. Testing of this was dropping a 1.5" lifted truck off a 4-5 FOOT tall ledge, over and over and over, and over.... again. No failures, no leaks.

No kidding and how many of those failures might have been error of install and or shear abuse? 7 1/2 " bolts are better than than 4 1/4" bolts. $Beer Chug\'n$

I have never had a problem with this crossmember,,I don't know any one who has..But don't ya think its possible it happened and you did not hear about it?I mean just slightly possible?seems possible to me,,people dirve like animals somtimes..I think anything is possible..

YotaCrawler530 · « **Reply #16 on:** Feb 17, 2020, 09:10:49 PM »

Anyone have pics of this mounted does it matter which way I weld the L shape metal to my frame?

cbeers · « **Reply #17 on:** Feb 18, 2020, 06:12:20 AM »

i don't have a pic handy but I'm pretty sure there is at least one in my build thread

CB

redneckcustoms13 · « **Reply #18 on:** Feb 18, 2020, 08:01:38 AM »

Should be some in my build as well. I really like it. I've used them in multiple builds now.

dbl-low · « **Reply #19 on:** Mar 29, 2020, 01:42:14 PM »

I’ve had my FROR crossmember for about a year and absolutely love it for all the reasons listed above. I don’t think it matters what way you orient the brackets, just do it however works best for your setup, oh and don’t forget to weld on the little gussets like I did haha.

blackdiamond · « **Reply #20 on:** Mar 30, 2020, 06:29:44 PM »

Quote from: YotaCrawler530 on Feb 17, 2020, 09:10:49 PM

Anyone have pics of this mounted does it matter which way I weld the L shape metal to my frame?

You win the "back from the dead" award for this post! I was reading through it for a while before realizing that there was a 15 year gap in the timetable. Well done.

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