my crossmember wont line back up after putting the new transmission in, is that common?

 

Iirc I mine was a little troublesome too. Just don't tighten the bolt down all the way and that will give you some play to line everything up. You can also try jacking the trans up some to take the wieght off and make it a bit more friendly to handle.

luck to ya

 

You will have a couple of bolts that do not want to thread. What you need to do is use a bottle jack and spread the frame rails. Dont beat or force your bolts in or you will regret it.
Dont know how common but it has happened to all my trucks. The worst was when I cut the horsecollar crossmember and welded on a new one. Had to use a bottle jack method here too. You'd be amazed how much the frame rails move when you spread them.