Topic: Transfer Case Crossmember bolts and captive nuts

[YotaJosh]

All 4 of the captive nuts inside of the frame for my crossmember are gone. I'm sure they are rattling around in the frame somewhere. I've been running it gently with the 2 outer bolts in place on either side.

I plan on getting a BudBuilt crossmember when I go dual cases, and since it bolts up in the stock location, I'm thinking I might need those captive nuts.

So, I need ideas or methods on how to fix it. My current thought is to use Nutserts, but I'm not sure if you can get them that big (BTW - what is the size and thread for those bolts?).

I know I have other options, like the nice FROR crossmember, and using Ubolts over the frame, but I want to use the factory mounts.

[jimbo74]

are there any acess points near by? maybe you could weld them in

[Rocksurfer]

I just did the ubolts welded to my frame thingy worked great.

[*ROKTOY*]

You can cut the inner wall of the frame away weld in new nuts and rebox the frame.

[DAWGTOY]

heres what i did. i found flange nuts (nuts with a washer made on them)
the right size. metric but i don't remember the size. i used a hole saw from
the bottom and drilled out the old nuts. (the hole saw has to be the size of
the flange on the new nut). then just welded in the new nuts. not a big deal
but worth the effort.



dawg

[YotaJosh [OP]]

are there any acess points near by? maybe you could weld them in

You can cut the inner wall of the frame away weld in new nuts and rebox the frame.

No access points, without cutting a hole. I don't have a big enough welder to patch the hole, and it will still be tight in there to get a welder gun.

heres what i did. i found flange nuts (nuts with a washer made on them)
the right size. metric but i don't remember the size. i used a hole saw from
the bottom and drilled out the old nuts. (the hole saw has to be the size of
the flange on the new nut). then just welded in the new nuts. not a big deal
but worth the effort.



dawg

That's another idea I had. Glad to see someone else has tried it.

[DeadlyPeace]

What about doing the same thing that Dawg did but instead of drilling the hole the size of the flange, drill it just a little bigger then the nut size. Then cut some two slots straight across (like a crosshair) for welding to the flange. To get the nut inside slide the flange up through the slot and hold it into place with a longer bolt and weld it. This will let the flange have a little more support to hold on to then just the weld. Just another thought. I'm sure either way will work ok.

[YotaJosh [OP]]

What about doing the same thing that Dawg did but instead of drilling the hole the size of the flange, drill it just a little bigger then the nut size. Then cut some two slots straight across (like a crosshair) for welding to the flange. To get the nut inside slide the flange up through the slot and hold it into place with a longer bolt and weld it. This will let the flange have a little more support to hold on to then just the weld. Just another thought. I'm sure either way will work ok.

Your hole idea is probably what dawgtoy did. Only the flange was on the bottom of the frame, i.e. he never put the bolt inside the frame, just pushed it into the hole and welded around the flange. Then you'd have to use a washer on the outer bolts to compensate for the flange on the new nuts.

[RN37DD]

i just used a nut about the same size. weld a 1/4 inch bar on the side of the nut 2 or 3 inch long. fish it in with a wire over the hole and thread your bolt in. the bar keeps it from turning in the frame. BTW i think i used 7/16-14 bolts that have an 11/16 nut size, so it kind of matched the stock 17 mm nuts.

[YotaJosh [OP]]

i just used a nut about the same size. weld a 1/4 inch bar on the side of the nut 2 or 3 inch long. fish it in with a wire over the hole and thread your bolt in. the bar keeps it from turning in the frame.

Cheap and effective. I like it

The only concern I see is if I need to remove the crossmember, and then reinstall it, and I loose the nuts in the frame. I guess that's what magnets and mechanics wire is for. Also, if the bar breaks off while removing the bolt, I'd have to resort to cutting the bolts out.

[RN37DD]

yeah mine were turning in the frame when i tried to remove them. i used vice grips and a hack saw to cut one off and the other i drilled the side of the nut and split it with a cold chisel. lucky the metal is pretty soft.

[Tallchevy]

This is what I'm going to do  http://4xinnovations.com/pages/drive/crossmembers.htm

[YotaJosh [OP]]

This is what I'm going to do  http://4xinnovations.com/pages/drive/crossmembers.htm

I'd love to do that. Unfortunately, 4XI doesn't seem to make much for the first gen trucks. Someone that lives close to him needs to donate their rig for prototyping.

[RN37DD]

in the above where i had to cut the bolts off those were the stock bolts that the captive nuts had spun. the nuts i welded have never broke and I've removed them 3 times.. ya gotta love them l52's. my kid still freaks when i say I'm pulling the tranny again.

[DeadlyPeace]

Your hole idea is probably what dawgtoy did. Only the flange was on the bottom of the frame, i.e. he never put the bolt inside the frame, just pushed it into the hole and welded around the flange. Then you'd have to use a washer on the outer bolts to compensate for the flange on the new nuts.

From what I understand I think with Dawgs the flange is flush inside the metal of the frame so the crossmember would go flush to the frame. Where I was talking about the flange being inside the frame, but on top of the metal. Here's a rough drawing of what I mean.

This is what I'm going to do  http://4xinnovations.com/pages/drive/crossmembers.htm

That's a nice price for those t-case mounts to. I usually get those for $25 used. For an $10 for a new one would be great. Plus I like the design of it.

I like the crossmember too. I'm wanting to do something like that on my 73 I'm rebuilding.

[79coyotefrg]

Josh what about welding a  stud into the frame

[RN37DD]

last night i pulled the home made captive nut out. the bar i used was closer to 3/8 round stock.. 9mm to be exact, 2 inch long. and the nut was 11/16 outside threaded to 7/16-20. still looks good, but i think I'll paint it before i put it back in.

[YotaJosh [OP]]

Josh what about welding a  stud into the frame

There's always that too.

last night i pulled the home made captive nut out. the bar i used was closer to 3/8 round stock.. 9mm to be exact, 2 inch long. and the nut was 11/16 outside threaded to 7/16-20. still looks good, but i think I'll paint it before i put it back in.

Thanks for the info. When it comes time to deal with this, I think I'm going to try it. Seems to be easier, and less modification to the frame, which is what I was really after.

[Oddmar]

Here is what i'm gonna do, i'll just fab up my own arms and rubber pad/ metal weld-on bracket on the inside of the frame rails.

http://frontrangeoffroadfab.com/nfoscomm/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=21&products_id=35&osCsid=f69a8160d58773d4690326bbc4414b7c

And before i install it, i'll make a 1:1 scale blueprint, so the next time i need one i can just cut it myself.

[79coyotefrg]

there ya go

[RN37DD]

i pained them before a put them back this time.