Swapping out my front crossmember...big problems happened :(
- Cokedoctor
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Swapping out my front crossmember...big problems happened :(
Well, the front cross member on my '01 red Neon R/T was in dire need of replacement, as it was rotting at a rapid pace and was beginning to become structurally unsafe.
I went to the junkyard yesterday and I found a rust free 2000 Neon, with a basically brand new cradle installed. I proceeded to roll the car on it's side, with the help of some friends.
This is what the cradle I pulled from the above car, looks like.
This is the cradle which is currently installed in my car.
Here's the problem. The bolts holding the control arms & cross member to the chassis were seized in their respected holes. I tried lots of PB Blaster, 120psi running thru my trusty Mac Tools impact gun, and no luck. I ended up snapping the welded nut off, inside the chassis and now I'm fudged. Has anyone had this problem before, and where did you cut into the chassis, to hold the nut that has broken free of its welds?
I went to the junkyard yesterday and I found a rust free 2000 Neon, with a basically brand new cradle installed. I proceeded to roll the car on it's side, with the help of some friends.
This is what the cradle I pulled from the above car, looks like.
This is the cradle which is currently installed in my car.
Here's the problem. The bolts holding the control arms & cross member to the chassis were seized in their respected holes. I tried lots of PB Blaster, 120psi running thru my trusty Mac Tools impact gun, and no luck. I ended up snapping the welded nut off, inside the chassis and now I'm fudged. Has anyone had this problem before, and where did you cut into the chassis, to hold the nut that has broken free of its welds?
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- sidepipe87
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you have to cut through the floorboards if i recall correctly... cut a flap, bend it up, fix, then bend back down and weld it up
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I had the same problem on my dad's car about 6 months ago, I used a hole saw to cut through the floor. There were circular depressions in the floor that mark where to cut the holes, if you lift the carpet you'll see them. Piss poor design on dodge's part, but at least they marked where to cut! I believe there was actually a TSB on the subject.
Last edited by Blivitt02 on Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Ugh, this makes me not even want to look under my car. However, I've never had issues getting the control arm bolts out and my car's seen its share of bad winters without a garage over it.
Jon J.
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- Cokedoctor
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- Cokedoctor
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Now I've gotta go pull up my carpet in my R/T and try to bare the fact that I've gotta bore a hole in the floor to get this over with. UGHHHHHHH I hate cutting holes in nice cars.
'13 Chrysler 300S 5.7 AWD - the financial burden
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
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'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
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- Forest Green 2k
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- Cokedoctor
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wow.. mine looks just as bad. FUCK I don't wanna replace it :/
'02 Chrysler Neon RT - SOHC 50trim+Crane 007 ---DEAD---
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- Cokedoctor
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My advice to whomever needs to do this to their car.
Use LOTS and LOTS of penetrating oil, and heat. I did the PB Blaster thing, which always helps...but I didn't use heat. These bolts are seriously SEIZED in there. I might end up replacing my control arms, since my passenger side arm has a rot hole in it anyways.
Use LOTS and LOTS of penetrating oil, and heat. I did the PB Blaster thing, which always helps...but I didn't use heat. These bolts are seriously SEIZED in there. I might end up replacing my control arms, since my passenger side arm has a rot hole in it anyways.
'13 Chrysler 300S 5.7 AWD - the financial burden
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
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I spray lubed mine for 2 weeks straight before I attempted to remove them. They were tight, but broke free. I sprung for new bolts, and anti seized the crap out of them. I've had them out a few times since, without a problem.
IIRC, 03sxt had pics of what he did before he sold his neon.
Took some digging...
viewtopic.php?t=40661&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
IIRC, 03sxt had pics of what he did before he sold his neon.
Took some digging...
viewtopic.php?t=40661&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Bill
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester
2000 Neon MTX swap with '02 R/T PCMOlha Koba, a psychologist in Kyiv, said that “anger and hate in this situation is a normal reaction and important to validate.” But it is important to channel it into something useful, she said, such as making incendiary bombs out of empty bottles.
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
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I don't know if this helps any, but if you peel away the sound deadner, there is a metal circle on the floor boards where you need to cut. You can kinda see it around the janky hole I cut in this thread:
LINK
LINK
- Cokedoctor
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Thank you so very much! This alone, has given me ideas on how to go on from where I'm at. I like the idea of cutting the hole in the wheel well, instead of the floor pan, but then again, as long as it's welded back up, either route would work.occasional demons wrote:I spray lubed mine for 2 weeks straight before I attempted to remove them. They were tight, but broke free. I sprung for new bolts, and anti seized the crap out of them. I've had them out a few times since, without a problem.
IIRC, 03sxt had pics of what he did before he sold his neon.
Took some digging...
viewtopic.php?t=40661&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
Thanks again!
'13 Chrysler 300S 5.7 AWD - the financial burden
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
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The floor pan route would be the overall cleaner looking repair, wouldn't necessarily need welded back in place, a small cover could be fixed over the hole for future needs. Plus the new weld could be painted inside there, to keep it from rusting internally. No one will know it with the carpet over it. But yeah, either way works.Cokedoctor wrote:
Thank you so very much! This alone, has given me ideas on how to go on from where I'm at. I like the idea of cutting the hole in the wheel well, instead of the floor pan, but then again, as long as it's welded back up, either route would work.
Thanks again!
Bill
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester
2000 Neon MTX swap with '02 R/T PCMOlha Koba, a psychologist in Kyiv, said that “anger and hate in this situation is a normal reaction and important to validate.” But it is important to channel it into something useful, she said, such as making incendiary bombs out of empty bottles.
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester
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I need to do this too on my 01 rt. I just replaced my lca's this past summer with no issues but I found evidence that the previous owner had to go through what you have encountered. There is a weld patch in the wheel well on the passengers side and the bolts are all but shot.
One thing that bothers me is getting the new k-frame aligned correctly. I have read that it is recommended to trace the outline of the old k frame but this still seems alittle too crude when dealing with something so critical. Measurements would be the next logical option but that is assuming the new k-frame is close enough dimentionally to the old one. This is the only reason I have not done this yet. When i do work up the courage, new bolts, new a-arms, new everything will be going in. I am also going to look into rust proofing.
Something that always baffles me, when looking in the local jy almost all the neon k frames are shot but ALL of the pt cruiser k frames look great! Better design? They do look different, beefier, and they are interchangeable I believe. Upgrade?
One thing that bothers me is getting the new k-frame aligned correctly. I have read that it is recommended to trace the outline of the old k frame but this still seems alittle too crude when dealing with something so critical. Measurements would be the next logical option but that is assuming the new k-frame is close enough dimentionally to the old one. This is the only reason I have not done this yet. When i do work up the courage, new bolts, new a-arms, new everything will be going in. I am also going to look into rust proofing.
Something that always baffles me, when looking in the local jy almost all the neon k frames are shot but ALL of the pt cruiser k frames look great! Better design? They do look different, beefier, and they are interchangeable I believe. Upgrade?
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The PT crossmember is not interchangeable. viewtopic.php?t=47398
Swapping them isn't as bad as it seems. You will need an alignment regardless, just let them know they may need to position it to get the camber/caster correct. Might cost a little extra.
Swapping them isn't as bad as it seems. You will need an alignment regardless, just let them know they may need to position it to get the camber/caster correct. Might cost a little extra.
Bill
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester
2000 Neon MTX swap with '02 R/T PCMOlha Koba, a psychologist in Kyiv, said that “anger and hate in this situation is a normal reaction and important to validate.” But it is important to channel it into something useful, she said, such as making incendiary bombs out of empty bottles.
1999 neon coupe 2.4 swap
2021 Forester
- Cokedoctor
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Got the crossmember swapped early last week. My dad took the liberty of cutting holes in my frame rails in the wheel wells (wish he woulda waited, I was gonna do the floor hole route instead) but regardless we replaced the nuts, and got everything tightened back up and we're good as gold. New control arms went in as well. This corrected my massive torque steer problem I was having before hand. Either it was worn control arm bushings, or the crossmember was contorsioning while driving? LOL
Last edited by Cokedoctor on Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:24 am, edited 1 time in total.
'13 Chrysler 300S 5.7 AWD - the financial burden
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
- Cokedoctor
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Hahahaha. I'm putting $$ on worn bushings. The car drove like brand new (aside from needing an alignment) after I put all the new stuff on.
'13 Chrysler 300S 5.7 AWD - the financial burden
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123
'95 Dodge Neon NYG ACR SRT Coupe - 1 of 98
'86 Mitsubishi Starion ESi-R - all original
Official "I'm Going to Drive My Neon till it Dies" Club #000123