Why Lower Crossmember?

The tranny x-member in my jeep is lowered with spacers about 1".

This is because without the spacers if I raised the x-member up for a direct bolt to the frame the top of the tranny (actually it's the reverse switch) hits the floor pan/tranny hump.

Seems like I've heard others say the same thing. I was just wondering...if I'm running all the stock equipment why would I need to do this? Is something out of alignment or something?

Also...my shift cane isn't centered in the hole in the floor. It's about 1" offset to the right and about the same 1" offset to the rear.

I've looked and about the only way I can think of to correct this would be to cut the motor mounts loose from the frame and relocate the engine and tranny as a single unit. Again...I don't see why this is like this since it's all factory stuff.

Anyone got any ideas on this? Is it common? If so has anyone ever fixed it or are you just running it as is.

Oh one more thing? I have about 1-1/2" of lift via an add-a-leaf kit...would this be the cause of my x-member needing to be lowered?

 

Check to see if you trans/xfercase mount asembly is stock and bolted to stock location on your cross member. Most of the time you can get creative with these mounts using other polyurethane parts that are smaller in height to lower your rear drivetrain without lowering your cross member.
I wouldn't cut the frame engine mounts, relocating laterally on the cross member is much easier.

 

I'm not wanting to lower the crossmember I'm wanting it to go back to what I assume would have been stock which would be a direct bolt up to the frame. This in turn would raise the tranny.

I'm forced to lower mine so I can lower the transmission. Not because of lift issues (I don't think anyway) but because if I raise the x-member up where I think it should be, the top of the tranny (reverse switch mainly) hits the floor pan or tranny hump.

I'm wondering why there's not enough room since everything is stock.

And as far as relocating the tranny left or right I don't understand how this can be done without moving the engine since the tranny is bolted to the engine.

Another reason I want to raise my tranny back up is because it causes my engine to tilt backwards and puts the rocker arm covers close to the firewall.

Forgive my ignorance here please. I'm struggling with trying to convey these questions since I'm far from a mechanic.

 

jb;

the stock factory set up on a 69 manufactored in the u.s. used two steel spacers of about 1/4" thickness to lower the cross member. here's a picture as in came from the factory. spacers outlined it white.........

 

dan!

That's because there's no oil in it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! R)

 

OK so I'm betting then that when Jeep added the reverse switch they simply added the spacers between the crossmember and the frame to lower the tranny down some.

As far as shifting left or right I guess I'll just have to live with it cause I think I've tried to move it before and it just won't go. Besides I had to drill a hole for the t-case mount and if I were able to move the whole thing over I'd either have to drill a new hole or slot the one that's there, and I figure it'd just move back in it's natural place.

Thanks very much for the picture.

 

John,
I ran into the same issue when I switched from the T86 to the T14. Mine was stock with 3 of the spacers. When I installed the T14 I tried taking them out, but ran into 2 problems. First, with them all out, the bellhousing actually was hitting the Ross steering box and causing one heck of a vibration (duh) and the second is that the shifter hit the floor tranny cover like you have found. I had to put two spacers back in and creatively shape (big hammer) the rear of the floor panel about 1/4 inch toward the rear. Everything cleared and the shifter cover went on fine. Only problem I then ran into was putting the shifter boot on since the shift tower is not centered in the hole of the cover now and those things don't like to stretch. You might just play around with differnt combos of spacers until you find the right one for your Jeep.

 

My T-98 equiped jeep came to me with hardwood spacers between the crossmemebr & the frame. I'm not the original owner but I assume it was built that way. I thought that was odd that they would use wood. Somebody told me that all the 4-speed jeeps had spacers, but I don't know if this is true. When I re-did everyhting the first time I got rid of them. Even with the short rear driveshaft I didn't seem to have any problems. I did raise the body tho, but I don't remember if I needed to just to clear the drivetrain. I did it to clear the 35" Monster mudders without raising the center of gravity too much.

 

I think he means that there were 3 spacers, 1/4" thick each, made of a piece of flatstock that was big enough to be sandwitched between the crossmember & the frame in such a way that both bolts can go thru the spacers. The two bolts on each side go thru the stack of spacers. You must be thinking of individual spacers for each bolt, like washers?? The spacers are probably 2" wide, 6" long & 1/4" thick each with holes to match the crossmember/frame mounting holes.

 

the difference on the t-14 is the switch for the back up lights. my 66 doesn't have provison(sp) for them, but the '69 frame has the light switch sticking out of the top rear of the cover facing rear. no spacers on frame, but it had a m38a1 tub on it also.