Removing engine crossmember plate?

ToyRX · Post by **ToyRX** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:18 pm

Hi All,

I am working on some modifications to my 85RX rallycar and the little plate bolted to the bottom of the engine crossmember in the middle is in the way...

Given it has a lot of ridges in it I am assuming it preforms some usefull purpose to help keep the crossmember from flexing??

Then again it is a thin plate and only has one bolt on one side and two on the other so I am not sure how much flexing it would actually prevent..

Does anyone have any idea if removing this plate is a bad idea (or not), given the car gets a thrashing and all.

BTW - The car has a full sump guard so no issue with protecting the power steering rack.

Cheer.

Gannon · Post by **Gannon** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:10 pm

I think its purpose was to protect the steering rack and give the factory sump guard something to bolt to

AndrewT · Post by **AndrewT** » Sat Feb 06, 2010 6:11 pm

I think it's mostly ribbed to act as a kind of bash plate to protect the steering rack. I guess it would help prevent the engine crossmember itself flexing but not sure if this is critical. I know a few people who've run without them without any ill effects (although how could you really tell if the engine crossmember is flexing whilst driving).

In short I don't rekon your car will fall apart, ditch it.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 2:57 am

Posted on this sort of thing a few weeks back. I had cut and welded an EA81 MY84 crossmember out of a FWD sedan to accept turbo pipe from EA82T. I found it did not have this jacking brace that the MY84 Brumby crossmember had.

I simply drilled out the four spot welds that fixed it to the crossmember with about 8mm drill bit. The spot welds were not hard as I expected weld to be, so normal drill bit will do it. I used a tougher bit bought for the job - a Suttons one.

Simply used four M8 1.25 bolts and nuts to fix it into place on the modded member. It is also used to connect up factory bash plate under sump.

ToyRX · Post by **ToyRX** » Sun Feb 07, 2010 5:21 am

Thanks guys - I had more or less convinced myself to ditch it but thought i would ask the question in case anyone has had any horror stories.
Suparoo - I did not realise it was the factory mounting point for the sump guard, I have never seen one but that is logical and helps explain the amount of ribing on the plate.
I was concerned if it did create flexing it may fatigue the X-member mounting bolts or chassis rails in some way.
Given i have welded re-enforcement plates to the chassis rail specificaly to support the X-member mount I should be safe.
Consider it ditched...