What's wrong with my (cross)member?

[Termite]

I'm in the middle of redoing outriggers, jacking points and sills and need to redo the front cross member.

Originally I bought a slot over repair panel but that was a poor fit and I had to butcher it to get it on. Once welded on, I wasn't happy with the welding and ground it off again.

I've ordered a new one from Schofields that showed up today. Their stuff has been good for everything I have bought from them so far but this cross member doesn't seem right. It's about an inch too big on either side, but apparently it's based on the original part and cnc laser cut.it's also missing another hole for the brakes I think.

So whats wrong with my crossmember on the van and why is this one so much bigger? The van is a J reg 1971. I'm going to end up cutting the bottom couple of inches off the crossmember anyway and using that to fix the bottom that had rusted away so that I don't have to cut the pipes etc...

 

[Happystamps]

You haven't got a rear crossmember instead of a front one have you?

 

[Termite]

I guess that is a possibility, I'll have to compare it to that tonight. But on the crossmember it has a sticker on it saying it's a front one.

 

[Termite]

Well it's definitely not the rear one as its far too short to be the rear one.

 

[Happystamps]

Hmm. Give 'em a call, explain the problem and email the 'photo over at the same time. Could be a one-off mistake if they're folding the parts manually.

 

[Termite]

I gave them a call earlier and they seemed to think that I might be a one year only thing that they haven't managed to get on a 1971. I'm not sure I buy that to be honest, as looking at justkampers website they list the width, length, height of parts for packaging purposes and the crossmember they sell that covers all years is 62cm wide. Which is exactly the same as my crossmember on the van.

I think I'm just going to have to cut it up and use the bottom inch and a half of it to replace the rotted section. The rest of the crossmember is solid and doesn't have any major rot in it, just the bottom rotted out due to water not draining out of it presumebly.

 

[tyg]

I had same problem with my Alan S. crossmember.
Had to cut piece from middle to get it fit and redone that heater pipe hole.
Alan S. didn't bother answer my mails, so I ended bying all my other needed sheet metal parts elsewhere.
Like whole cab floor from from funky green panels.
That did fit exelent.

 

[Termite]

To be fair, all the other stuff I've bought has been from him or Autocraft (via GSFparts when they has 35% off offer on) and it's been a great fit (well test fit so far).

I'm in two minds whether to buy another one from somewhere else or chop this one up. I think the angle grinder will be taken to it this weekend.