What is this part.

[heptofite]

http://i40.tinypic.com/2vbacdj.jpg <-- what is this?

 

[exbass94]

Frame crossmember. The ugliest damn crossmember I've ever seen.

 

[Hopman]

Scap metal. Might be good for about $15 at the junkyeard.

 

[heptofite]

why the hell is it shaped so lopsided and why does that 4x4 ranger have one, my old 2wd ranger had one, and my bronco 2 doesn't have one?

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

I've wondered why it's shaped like that too. My guess is to help protect the front dif from rocks. I'll have to look at my b-2's, I thought they had the same crossmember.
Richard

 

[heptofite]

two wheel drive rangers don't have a front diff and they still have that beam.

 

[robertc1024]

My '88 2WD has one. The first time I crawled under the truck I had to do a double take to make sure the PO hadn't hung it on a rock or something in reverse. LOL

 

[truckphone]

I'm pretty sure its there to protect the pitman arm and the box.

They are directly behind it.

 

[colinrmitchell]

Yeah, it's to protect the steering box and pitman arm.

 

[heptofite]

why don't i have one on my b2?

 

[Irokranger93]

I'm pretty sure its there to protect the pitman arm and the box.

They are directly behind it.

yea and the diff for 4x4 is the rigidity of the front

 

[AllanD]

why don't i have one on my b2?

The Bronco2 with it's FRONT mounted sway bar occupies the same mounting holes as that plate normally mounts to.

AD

 

[mp3deviant721]

I have that on my 2wd Ranger. Always wondered why it was shaped funny like that. Now I know.

 

[Irokranger93]

protect the pitman arm only

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Neither my '85 or '86 parts truck has anything like that... and that my steering is hanging out in the wide open does kind of eat at you when you are messing around.

Did they only put them in certain years of trucks?