As you can see, this is pretty fu-barred!

I was thinking about just getting some 2'' angle iron, but its not quite long enough. 2 1/2'' would probably work better, IF I can even find any around here!

Also, I've seen/heard other people reinforcing this front 'cross member'(?) before, but I've also heard someone say that if you just cover up the holes, it might cause the engine to over-heat because those holes allow air flow to the radiator.

Help??? Ideas??? Thoughts???

 

I think you meant to post a picture?

If your talking about reinforcing the front cross member, it wont block airflow to the radiator. LoL FrontRangeOffroad offers a front member brace.

 

i don't see a pic??

but i think i know what your talking about.
angle iron will work good, or just plate it all with flat stock and weld all the seams. i think those holes were in the cross-member are there to reduce weight. Ive had them stuffed full of mud many a times. never caused me to overheat!

 

I think you forgot to add the pic...

EDIT:guess i'm too slow...

 

YEP! LOL... DOH. In a hurry I guess....[IMG][/IMG]

 

ummm wow that's bad... A piece of boxed steel would work ok I guess.
Another thought is to take a old bolt on trailer hitch mount cut it and weld it in there.
That way you have a recovery point with a class III hitch.
Then you could throw a multi mount winch right in there.

I wouldn't worry too much about air flow to the radiator. People do it all the time and it's fine.

 

x2 on the class 3 hitch my buddy has one with a body lift so its under his valence you can barley tell its there unless you know it is!!

 

Here's an example on a 1st gen truck.

With a winch on it.

I love that truck it has a lot of character....

 

I like that idea a lot. Kinda serves more than one purpose then.

 

I wouldn't worry about the radiator.

I would probably take a sawzall/grinder and cut the front section of the tubing out and weld in a plate.

 

Thanks for the tips guys! The local scrap yard is out of 2 1/2'' x 3/16 angle iron so I'm going to see if they have any junk hitch's I could snag for cheap!

 

Wow - that's even worse than mine was. I just had square tube put in there - not sure what wall thickness and stuff -and then welded a receiver under it. Tons of pix in the link in my sig.