[jono165]

Hi,
I tried searching but couldnt find exactly what i was after.
Went out for a wheel yesterday in bunyip and i bent the transfer case cross member on my 96 vitara. I knew it would probably be the first thing to get damaged under the car.
I am going to get a replacement but are there any aftermarket options that are stronger? If not has anyone braced the standard one to make a stronger unit?

Cheers

[Westie]

Been sliding over rocks for 3 years in mine and it is still perfect. All a matter of putting the right protection under the vehicle or you will just have to keep replacing them. This also goes for sliders

[jono165]

Thanks. Yeh no matter how many standard ones I get they will just bend they are pretty flimsy. I'm getting a lift soon and then I will get some skid plates for the belly as money allows. Have u got any pics of your skid plates or are you running the calmini or similar ones?

[atari4x4]

I run one of these http://outdoorauto4x4.com/p/650140/drop ... 88-97.html & some of these baking trays http://outdoorauto4x4.com/p/847125/suzu ... y-kit.html

[Westie]

calmini ............ Ha westmini mine runs from the front off the bar undre the sump and then to the last Xmember behind the gearbox in 2 sections.

Front is from the bar to the 1st Xmember from there it is a slip joint fro the rear section about 300mm wide and 1.8mt long to protect the box and transfer. Sliders are chassis hounted in 2 places and the steel is a 100x25x2mm box. Fuul write up in 4WD Action No 146 Pg 136

[Joe]

Suzuki changed the shape of the crossmember on the 96 model and it hangs lower then the earlier models
One from an earlier model will bolt up, however if you are still running the standed exhaust it will get in the way, i was lucky with mine as i had already done my exhaust before i replaced the crossmember

[jono165]

Atari does the oda crossmember locate the transfer much lower? As I have no lift I thought that by lowering the transfer might make the driveshaft length too long as it decreases the angle. If the oda one won't work I will get one from an earlier vit an have my exhaust re-routed. I'd rather find a stronger replacement though.
As Joe said the later models one is different does it also locate the transfer lower than the earlier mount or is it just the shape of the bottom of the mount that is different?

[Joe]

Tranfer stays in same spot, crossmember is just tucked better

[eXc450]

Different model, but you can see what I did towards the bottom

http://auszookers.com/index.php?name=Fo ... ic&t=15832

[jono165]

Thanks for the help guys i think i will investigate the oda member i like how its made from chunky steel and if that won't work out I'll get my exhaust re routed and use one from a older vitara and get a skid plate made up.

[atari4x4]

Jono, the ODA crossmember does drop the transfer case a fair bit, I would look at chasing up a stocker & getting it plated/reinforced for the $$$'s that ODA wants it's not really worth it.

[zuk94]

I bent mine reasonable bad as well even tore it abit . My tempory fix so far has been just straighten it with a 18inch shifter then fold the edges up with a sledge hammer . Haven't had a problem with it since . But the long term fix is to remove and weld some braces on it and put a skid plate under as Westie has suggested.

[Fatzook]

atari4x4 wrote:

for the $$$'s that ODA wants it's not really worth it.

X2!!!!

Thats a pretty simple part.

[jono165]

So i went and got a crossmember from an earlier vitara today which was pretty cheap. Much better design. why they didn't make them all like this boggles me. Haven't had much of a play with it yet so not sure if i will need to move the exhaust.
What is the best way to remove the old one? Put a trolley jack under the rear part of the transfer case and unbolt the old one?

[Joe]

jono165 wrote:

So i went and got a crossmember from an earlier vitara today which was pretty cheap. Much better design. why they didn't make them all like this boggles me. Haven't had much of a play with it yet so not sure if i will need to move the exhaust.
What is the best way to remove the old one? Put a trolley jack under the rear part of the transfer case and unbolt the old one?

Yeah thats how i would do it

[suzukiboy]

I bent mine one of the first outings.





Pretty Powdercoated one.



Clamini plates.

[jono165]

Cheers suzukiboy your vit looks great with the skids and blue crossmember. I picked up the other crossmember from an earlier one so the exhaust will mount slightly differently on mine as it doesnt have the extra bracket.

Im going to order the calmini skid plates like you have from either calmini directly or low range depending on who has the cheaper shipping. Did they bolt up pretty easily? Looks like you have their front skid plate too. Did you get their steering stabilizer to mount the front of it or make up your own bracket?

[suzukiboy]

The Calmini plates will only bolt up to this model cross member, is this the one you have?

Yes I have the Calmini front palte and steering stabizer.

[jono165]

The one I bought us like this

The original one is like what yours is however it has less mounting holes in the back part than the other one. Sorry about the bad photo

They seem to have the same holes so the calmini plates I think will still mount up. If it's only the case of redrilling a hole or 2 or spacing it with a few washers I'm fine with that.

[Joe]

Hey Suzukiboy a bit off topic i know but do you have a build thread of your vitara on AZ?
I remember seeing it on outerlimits years ago but i can't find it now, from what i remember it was pretty cool

[suzukiboy]

I don't think it would.......... if you have a look at one of my pics the bolts holes would not be able to match up on the two plates.

Looks like you could just cut sections out so they could but.

I did have a build up post but all the pics got deleted, will see if I can fix the photos up.

Build up pics now fixed.

http://nbs4x4club.com/forum/index.php?t ... 8#msg51608

[BJPK]

i fitted my damper with the rod going through the blue bit, the opposite of how suzuki boy fitted his cant see it making a difference, could it??

[eXc450]

I strengthened mine. Plus put a slider on (thin sheet metal...not a bash plate, just a slider).

Never had any issues since.

You can see my welding awesomeness (or lack there of) towards the bottom of my 'build' thread.

http://auszookers.com/index.php?name=Fo ... ic&t=15832

[stocker]

Wow now thats some sick looking underbody protection and RTC Dampner looks good too i might have to invest in some also... my crossmember got axed off a rockstep... i've replaced it since but still...

[christover1]

I doing some research, thinking and or dreaming.
Found this thread after a lot of searchings and readings.

Thinking about making my own underbody bits,
along similar lines to the calmini stuff.

Not sure that I would need a steering stabiliser,
but I like the mounting method for the diff guard.

Is possibly all within my ability to make this stuff.
But no where near as pretty, and its so damn cold in the shed.

Need gearing first,
so if I do hit something,
it won't be at such a high speed

[christover1]

And I reckon money would better spent on a TSOR tank guard first.
Tank shows many battle scars already.
And my cross member is of the better type.

[christover1]

christover1 wrote:

And I reckon money would better spent on a TSOR tank guard first.
Tank shows many battle scars already.
And my cross member is of the better type.

After a reality check and buget,
I have decided to lift the fuel tank up,
instead of using a tank guard,
leaves more money for some transfer gears.