Transmission crossmember braces - improve or remove?

[Tex]

Hello!

I'm trying to find the part number for the above part-- but for the 2.7 engine. The parts website has #3 different options, all say it's the frame assembly.

Thank you!

From what I gather this is not really a part that you can order by itself, it would come as part of an assembly if at all.

Are you looking to get a set for a replacement or for retrofitting? Unless you're wanting to keep it in factory configuration there are better alternatives to bracing the crossmember without losing a lot of ground clearance. A local offroad shop will likely have the facilities to fab up something out of tubing that's stronger and won't snag on rocks, and they'd probably be able to incorporate a skidplate for the transmission pan at the same time.

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[flip]

Hello!

I'm trying to find the part number for the above part-- but for the 2.7 engine. The parts website has #3 different options, all say it's the frame assembly.

Thank you!

As others have stated, the "kickers" are only available as part of the entire frame assembly. Ford may decide to offer them as stand alone repair sections at some point but they haven't as of now.

 

[RHeinz]

Thank you all for posting your installations. All very helpful. Completed mine this morning.

I was able to find UHMW in “Badlands orange” (well, almost). Used 1/4-20 (Mercian) hex socket flat head machine screws, drilled and tapped the cross braces. Countersunk the fasteners. Had to do some minor grinding to remove the rolled edges. Even drilled a drain hole in the plastic to match the cross brace.

The Baristas are going to be very impressed!

 

[flip]

We install a product in dump trailers to keep whatever they're hauling from sticking. Can't remember the name of the stuff but it would probably work great for something like this since it's extremely dense.

 

[Tex]

We install a product in dump trailers to keep whatever they're hauling from sticking. Can't remember the name of the stuff but it would probably work great for something like this since it's extremely dense.

A lot of operators are switching to UHMW liners on their trailers these days, some of them might market it as some specific trade name but it's probably just UHMW. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the whole idea for using UHMW on offroad skid plates came from people that make a living with dump trucks and trailers and just put two and two together. I think the alternative to UHMW is a derivative of AR450 plate steel, which is a highly abrasion resistant steel, often used for blades and buckets, etc. Probably cut down a lot of useful load compared to UHMW due to weight, but man, if you made some skidplates out of that you'd be leveling off boulders and ledges with your rig LOL

 

[F-Spot]

A lot of operators are switching to UHMW liners on their trailers these days, some of them might market it as some specific trade name but it's probably just UHMW. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the whole idea for using UHMW on offroad skid plates came from people that make a living with dump trucks and trailers and just put two and two together. I think the alternative to UHMW is a derivative of AR450 plate steel, which is a highly abrasion resistant steel, often used for blades and buckets, etc. Probably cut down a lot of useful load compared to UHMW due to weight, but man, if you made some skidplates out of that you'd be leveling off boulders and ledges with your rig LOL

Probably oldschool skateboarders who used them on their skate decks. "Hey, remember when we used to have plastic rails on our decks so we could rail slide concrete curbs and planters without scuffing up the graphics on the deck? Let's add it to the bottoms of our rigs."

 

[flip]

A lot of operators are switching to UHMW liners on their trailers these days, some of them might market it as some specific trade name but it's probably just UHMW. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the whole idea for using UHMW on offroad skid plates came from people that make a living with dump trucks and trailers and just put two and two together. I think the alternative to UHMW is a derivative of AR450 plate steel, which is a highly abrasion resistant steel, often used for blades and buckets, etc. Probably cut down a lot of useful load compared to UHMW due to weight, but man, if you made some skidplates out of that you'd be leveling off boulders and ledges with your rig LOL

We have a couple brands, I think one is called Quicksilver. Need to ask my parts mgr what the other brand is but they come in huge rolls and couple different thicknesses. Couple guys have made snow sleds with them because it's much slicker than the round plastic disks.

 

[tobyw]

Sorry to drag this back up from the dead but it's the only thread that shows up when I search "crossmember brace"...

Anyone have any long-term reports from REMOVING these braces completely? The UHMW is a creative approach to keeping them straight, but I'm more of a fan of not having them there to get hit in the first place.

 

[swooshdave]

Sorry to drag this back up from the dead but it's the only thread that shows up when I search "crossmember brace"...

Anyone have any long-term reports from REMOVING these braces completely? The UHMW is a creative approach to keeping them straight, but I'm more of a fan of not having them there to get hit in the first place.

Does removing the bracing really sound like a good idea?

 

[Fordified1]

Does anyone make complete UHMW skid plates for Bronco’s yet? I have 1/2” thick ones on my RZR and they are great. And with a large sheet and enough fasteners provides rigidity and could potentially replace the need for that low cross brace the V6 has. I haven’t spent enough time under mine to see if that’s even feasible.

 

[tobyw]

Does removing the bracing really sound like a good idea?

Yes, yes it does... But, so far I haven't been able to determine if it's there for some sort of structural rigidity or just to act as a quazzi-skid. Does anyone know the answer to that question, because if it's the latter then removing it for a lower-profile solution seems like a win?

 

[Fordified1]

Yes, yes it does... But, so far I haven't been able to determine if it's there for some sort of structural rigidity or just to act as a quazzi-skid. Does anyone know the answer to that question, because if it's the latter then removing it for a lower-profile solution seems like a win?

it triangulates the frame which provides rigidity. Why the 2.3 doesn’t need it? Idk maybe it does.

 

[Fordified1]

If you’re not worried about warranty stuff, I think a well-designed skid plate could very well replace that triangle brace. It just needs to be fastened in a lot of places.

 

[Fordified1]

Wouldn’t it be great if we could make our Broncos look like this underneath? pic of my rzr. Definitely would make it hard to work on. But it just glides over rocks.

 

[Rumbloki]

Yes, yes it does... But, so far I haven't been able to determine if it's there for some sort of structural rigidity or just to act as a quazzi-skid. Does anyone know the answer to that question, because if it's the latter then removing it for a lower-profile solution seems like a win?

I'm sure it has to do with the additional 90ft-lb of torque in the V6

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