Swapping out my front crossmember...big problems happened :(

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:24 pm

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?

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 6:30 pm

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

Blivitt02 · Post by **Blivitt02** » Sun Oct 23, 2011 9:13 pm

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.

Donkeypuncher · Post by **Donkeypuncher** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:22 am

This is why I've been holding off on changing the LCA bushings, that's such a pain in the ass. Seems like it's more of a north east US problem, snow and salt just eats up the undercarriage of cars.

NEON PARABOLA · Post by **NEON PARABOLA** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:13 am

...I want the front bumper from the donor neon in the junk yard....

Post by **jonnymopar** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:27 am

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.

sidepipe87 · Post by **sidepipe87** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:28 pm

NEON PARABOLA wrote:...I want the front bumper from the donor neon in the junk yard....

Why do you want an 00 bumper?...

FAC3L3SS · Post by **FAC3L3SS** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:30 pm

^x2! A haggard, fugly-colored one at that. You can HAVE my '01 bruh.

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:31 pm

What's the difference between a 2000 and 2001 bumper??? lol

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:39 pm

Nothing, as long as the 2001 isn't an R/T or ACR

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:47 pm

Well, yeah. I knew THAT part. haha

Danteneon · Post by **Danteneon** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:50 pm

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 12:51 pm

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.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:55 pm

I need mine changed next, thanks.

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 1:59 pm

Forest Green 2k wrote:I need mine changed next, thanks.

Die in a fire.

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:03 pm

Get aids.

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:04 pm

When can I come over?

ThatKevin · Post by **ThatKevin** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:12 pm

wow.. mine looks just as bad. FUCK I don't wanna replace it :/

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 2:17 pm

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.

Post by **occasional demons** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 3:48 pm

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

Forest Green 2k · Post by **Forest Green 2k** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 6:40 pm

The way these are designed/shaped makes for a great moisture trap

And I can't believe that R/T's cradle is worse than mine!

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:13 pm

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

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:19 pm

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

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!

Paul56 · Post by **Paul56** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:31 pm

On my old 2001 Neon with about 125,000 miles and
having endured eastern Canada winters that structural
part was severely corroded and rusting away.

So those of you with older Neon's rolling in the salt should
get under there and inspect.

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 8:29 am

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!

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.

newlitemotorist · Post by **newlitemotorist** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:13 am

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?

Post by **occasional demons** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 9:43 am

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.

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Thu Nov 03, 2011 11:58 pm

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

ZeroChad · Post by **ZeroChad** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:11 am

Cokedoctor wrote:This corrected my massive torque steer problem I was having before hand. Either it was won control arm bushings, or the crossmember was contorsioning while driving? LOL

Ugh....I better add this to my todo list.

Cokedoctor · Post by **Cokedoctor** » Fri Nov 04, 2011 12:25 am

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.