New, Old Guy

[Winter Hawk]

Retired over 10 years, somewhat of a car/truck nut. I found this site while I was looking for replacement cross members for my 1989 XLT. Mine are not cone yet, but approaching that point rapidly. There don't seem to be any of these parts available for this particular vehicle. I need the ones behind the cab, so from the gas tank back. Other than fabricating my own, something I haven't done yet, are there any suggestions for what I can do?
Thanks,
~WH~

 

[Uncle Gump]

Being from Ohio... your junk yard choices probably aren't much better than what you already have. I'm not aware of any place to buy these new.

Welcome to TRS...

 

[SenorNoob]

Didn't the same question come up a couple weeks ago? Might have been in Canada tho. And they found a local willing to make them. Wonder if they'd ship?

 

[Winter Hawk]

Thank you for the replies. The local welding shop welded a couple of pieces of steel to the gas tank cross member and the one behind it, although I'm not too happy with the result. It'll do for a while, though, and the truck only has to last me another 20 years, if that long.

~WH~

 

[scotts90ranger]

For what labor costs now, if you have the space to work on stuff and like tinkering I would just get a welder (the harbor freight green flux core 125 amp thing would be more than enough) and grab some steel and practice and make things happen... for the behind the cab crossmembers pulling the bed is the easy way, an engine hoist and a 2x4 under the bed rails makes easy work of lifting the bed out of the way with one person...

 

[DrWho42]

henlo! welcome to the forums!

 

[Winter Hawk]

Bed came off first thing, otherwise the welding shop would have charged me a whole bunch more. Plugged my magnetic stick -on lights into the trailer light socket and drove it to the shop. I'll have to think about the engine hoist; I man-handled the bed off by myself and it hasn't gotten any easier over the years!