[gregc]

these photos are the first time i have looked under a GV, but is there a reason why you guys are not changing the cross member to go underneith the cat?

seems to be that you are doing all the work already (i.e. making the cross member), why not go for the bonus points and protect the cat as well?

even if it was a 5mm plate with countersunk holes mounted under the chassis. a flat piece of plate should still slide better than the existing cross member or exhaust components.

[Gwagensteve]

I think that would put the crossmember well below the chassis. The cat is level with the bottom of the chassis IIRC.

Steve.

[Built4thrashing]

Gwagensteve wrote:

I think that would put the crossmember well below the chassis. The cat is level with the bottom of the chassis IIRC.

Steve.

The Cat is actually higher than the chasis by about 30mm. You could do as Gregc said but then the new crossmember would end up a weird shape and become even weaker. Not to mention a pain to bolt in place.

[Built4thrashing]

OK resurected the factory cross member from the dead and plated the botom a bit with 5mm plate and extended it out to protect the t/case.

Toughts?

[gvzookdriver]

Looks good but I thought you where going to plate the whole underside of the standard one to stop it ever bending again

[ajsr]

I think that would work well jas
but if your going to plate the whole x member it only needs to be light guage for the rest say 1.6 - 2 mm, its only there so the factory on keeps its shape

[Built4thrashing]

Its only the lower section that needs plating and when you think about it its only the middle that gets bashed about. (plus it all i had at home to work with)

Ill bolt it inplace today and look at some sort of support for the rear overhang.

[shabz]

Good work mate. Yeah something to support the rear overhang would be ideal. Also plating the bottom of the cross member with a lip bent up across the front will help it slide over rocks, rather than get hung up on them

[Built4thrashing]

shabz wrote:

Good work mate. Yeah something to support the rear overhang would be ideal. Also plating the bottom of the cross member with a lip bent up across the front will help it slide over rocks, rather than get hung up on them

Mine is just a proto type. Im yet to go to the metal place to get a propper one bent up. Its gonna be alot simplier than most think. Thing is im gonna need another GV to do the test fit.....You voluntering????

[MacDaddy]

Built4thrashing wrote:

shabz wrote:

Good work mate. Yeah something to support the rear overhang would be ideal. Also plating the bottom of the cross member with a lip bent up across the front will help it slide over rocks, rather than get hung up on them

Mine is just a proto type. Im yet to go to the metal place to get a propper one bent up. Its gonna be alot simplier than most think. Thing is im gonna need another GV to do the test fit.....You voluntering????

It maybe a prototype now, but if you can get it perfected, and possibly engineer certified, this could turn into a good business for you !

[atari4x4]

why would it need to be engineer certified?

[MacDaddy]

atari4x4 wrote:

why would it need to be engineer certified?

Cause its safer, and it sounds better...

[Built4thrashing]

MacDaddy wrote:

atari4x4 wrote:

why would it need to be engineer certified?

Cause its safer, and it sounds better...

And if someone is killed in an accident and its found to be caused by an unengineered aftermarket part then the manufacturer may be found liable. unlikely but possible.

this is why most parts are sold with the "for offroad use only" label.

[MacDaddy]

Built4thrashing wrote:

MacDaddy wrote:

atari4x4 wrote:

why would it need to be engineer certified?

Cause its safer, and it sounds better...

And if someone is killed in an accident and its found to be caused by an unengineered aftermarket part then the manufacturer may be found liable. unlikely but possible.

this is why most parts are sold with the "for offroad use only" label.

Exactly !

[darcy]

What about your larger than standard tyres being illegal?

[atari4x4]

Built4thrashing wrote:

MacDaddy wrote:

atari4x4 wrote:

why would it need to be engineer certified?

Cause its safer, and it sounds better...

And if someone is killed in an accident and its found to be caused by an unengineered aftermarket part then the manufacturer may be found liable. unlikely but possible.

this is why most parts are sold with the "for offroad use only" label.

and the what about the rest of the 4wd that it's being bolted to.... B4T pretty sure your spring spacers & oversized tyres aren't engineered?

[Built4thrashing]

The spring spacers and tyres on their own are probably engineered but just not for use on my Vehicle.

Engineering a product is one thing but to engineer a complete vehicle is something else. Each product must be made to do its job safely with a huge tollerance. The tyres altho to big to get engineered on my car are quite safe for use on a patrol....correct? So its not the individual product that is the issue but what they are to be used on.

The spacers have to be made of a compliant product. Something that doesnt deform under pressure. Dont see many rubber coil spacers do you.

So to make something you plan to sell it must meet some standards or be sold with the appropriate warnings to cover the manufacturers ass if something goes wrong.....


And before you start point out issues with my GV you should have a close look at your own Vitara....

[atari4x4]

I know for a fact mine wont pass & have been pinged for it before, doesn't mean as a whole it's not built to a decent engineer-able standard.

[Built4thrashing]

Im in a similar boat....i know the tyres are too big and the coil spacers are not legal but thats it. everything else on my GV would pass. Front bar is compliant, Nothing has been welded to the chasis, and it looks neat and tidy and it doesnt stand out. Uulike alot of zooks on this site.


Now if you dont mind back to the topic..........this isnt the CHAT thread.

[atari4x4]

roger that!

what are you plans for crossmember Mk2, still aiming to gain a bit of clearance?

[Built4thrashing]

As above it will now just be the factory cross member as nothing that could be made easily is going to be strong enough but im looking at a bolt on skid plate that will also protect the t/case.

FYI. the lowest part of the gearbox / transfer is the front output section on the t/case. It hangs down to almost the botom of the chasis. there is only 10mm in it and without a BL it cant be raised without smashing the tunnel for clearance.

The design ive come up with will be almost idiot proof for the DYI installer and it such a simple design im kicking myself for not thinking about it at the start.

[MacDaddy]

Built4thrashing wrote:

As above it will now just be the factory cross member as nothing that could be made easily is going to be strong enough but im looking at a bolt on skid plate that will also protect the t/case.

FYI. the lowest part of the gearbox / transfer is the front output section on the t/case. It hangs down to almost the botom of the chasis. there is only 10mm in it and without a BL it cant be raised without smashing the tunnel for clearance.

The design ive come up with will be almost idiot proof for the DYI installer and it such a simple design im kicking myself for not thinking about it at the start.

Cool !
Look forward to the new design...

[shabz]

Built4thrashing wrote:

shabz wrote:

Good work mate. Yeah something to support the rear overhang would be ideal. Also plating the bottom of the cross member with a lip bent up across the front will help it slide over rocks, rather than get hung up on them

Mine is just a proto type. Im yet to go to the metal place to get a propper one bent up. Its gonna be alot simplier than most think. Thing is im gonna need another GV to do the test fit.....You voluntering????

Well my cross member is still in the same shape it came from factory, so it will be good for taking measurements and stuffI haven't had a good look under there since you started this thread but let me know what i can do.

[shabz]

Built4thrashing wrote:

The design ive come up with will be almost idiot proof for the DYI installer and it such a simple design im kicking myself for not thinking about it at the start.

simple is usually the best.

Here's an idea - what about a decent skid plate that just bolts to the underside of the cross member? it'll protect the front edge of hte cross member and possibly give the whole thing some extra strength. I haven't had a good look under there yet but might be a simple solution.

[Built4thrashing]

Silly me forgot my next door neighbour has a GV.....Ill just ask them if i can park it up on some ramps and have a measure up........Drrrrr

[Built4thrashing]

shabz wrote:

Built4thrashing wrote:

The design ive come up with will be almost idiot proof for the DYI installer and it such a simple design im kicking myself for not thinking about it at the start.

simple is usually the best.

Here's an idea - what about a decent skid plate that just bolts to the underside of the cross member? it'll protect the front edge of hte cross member and possibly give the whole thing some extra strength. I haven't had a good look under there yet but might be a simple solution.

nothing really to bolt to but ya extremely close........ just waiting for the metal shop to get back to me on pricing of the parts.......

[tombutt]

A sv620 cross member is plated across the bottom although it doesn't add protection it is certainly a lot stronger the the open style like yours and those of the sv420. Ive bolted a massive bash plate to mine that runs from the front of the gear box to the back something like this is properly over kill and a simple smaller skid plate would do. Only reason mine is the way it is to stop branches/ logs becoming wedge between the cross member and gearbox/ transfer as Ive had happen before as alot of the local tracks are filled with large logs in mud holes from people getting stuck. The other advantage to this is that it bolts onto two parts of the car meaning less twisting forces onto the cross member and the weight is distributed between the two cross members as i found my mounts had bent up ever so slightly when first looking at doing a bash plate.

[Built4thrashing]

Thats something for the earlier Vit owners to remember.....I wonder if its a bolt in for the 4cly models......prob not as i think the V620 have a wider chasis.

[atari4x4]

yeah the SE series differ, as i tried one as a replacement for my munted one. wonder if the SV620 is the same as the SV420 though.

[royce]

Gee I wondered where ataris unbanned have a sook posts would be, guess I just found them

You lot realise there is more to a chassis crossmember than somewhere to hold the back of the gearbox up dont you? You dont reckon it might play a part in keeping the chassis rails from touching in the event of some decent strain, IE being smacked in the side by a large car like object or rolling down teh side of a hill for 100m or so? Something a bit of plate with a fold in it is going to fail at greatly