engine cross member swap

[MichiganLarry]

I know that it will be a lot of work but I am doing it anyway. My 16 year old son has a 1989 ranger 2wd standard cab long bed and I was given a running 88 extended cab short bed 4X4. I am going to swap over the 4x4 parts to my sons truck. I have read all the threads saying that this is a ton of work and to just sell the truck and buy one the way we want it. This is more of an educational project for my son. I have a pretty well equipped shop am a capable mechanic. His older brother and I built a jeep and a chevelle so now its the younger ones turn. Anyway, I know that I have to swap the engine cross member from the 4x4. My question is how many rivets hold it into the frame and will I have to pull the motor to get it out? Any one have any pictures of the frame and cross member so I can see what I am up against.

Thanks

 

[Beanmachine7000]

I don't recall how many rivets, but I will say you would have to pull the motor.. You MIGHT be able to do it without, but I wouldn't want to try...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The engine mounts to the crossmember, so if you leave the engine in and pull only the crossmember (if it is possible) with nothing under the engine it is going to fall out of the truck anyway.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

The engine mounts to the crossmember, so if you leave the engine in and pull only the crossmember (if it is possible) with nothing under the engine it is going to fall out of the truck anyway.

I was thinking, lifting the engine up to remove the crossmember, but once you go through all that trouble you've almost got the entire thing out anyway and I don't see you saving any work by leaving the engine in...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I was thinking, lifting the engine up to remove the crossmember, but once you go through all that trouble you've almost got the entire thing out anyway and I don't see you saving any work by leaving the engine in...

Yeah, once you get the crossmember out it is only the transmission mount and wiring holding the engine in the truck.

 

[MichiganLarry]

I knew that I would have to support the engine with the hoist. It was the location of the rivets that is more what I was wondering about.

 

[rangerta]

I did this swap and the cross member was also welded in on both trucks.

 

[MichiganLarry]

Where was the welding?

 

[AllanD]

The Rivets only hold it in place until the factory welds it.

I never really counted the rivets but in practice you need to remove the
frame buckets from the outside of the frame as well, the rivets for those interfere with the crossmember removal/installation

I fully perimeter welded mine, welding rod (TIG rod on my truck) is cheap compared
to having to strip everything off and re-weld it.

Also while you have the spring buckets off do a careful job of removing the rust scale from the right side frame behind where the spring bucket mounts.

The left side is usually kept from rusting from leaking Power steering fluid.

Also that little "rib" down the middle of the spring bucket?

Cut a hole at the bottom that prevents the spring bucket from accumulating crap that holds the water in and facilitates the rusting of the frame....

AD

 

[MichiganLarry]

Thank you Allen. That was exactly the kind of information that I was looking for.

One more question. Will I need to move the coil buckets over from the 4x4 to the 2x4 as well? Can I get away with 2" lift springs without to much trouble?