Rusty crossmember with hole - is this dangerous?

[SteveG]

While removing the manifold and exhaust today, I noticed one of the bolt points of the central section of the cross member is quite severely rusted. I know this means I need a new cross-member/frame section, but what I'm asking is,

Is this dangerous to continue driving on for a week or so until I make some enquiries at local garages to see if they can source the new part, or find the new part online and order it, and then take it to the garage with the front off (as much as possible, bumper proved hard as **** to get to all the bolts and one is rounded off... couldn't get the bastard off!)

Anyway here is the gallery of horror:



The (car's) left side of the strut attached (or half-attached!) to the cross-member does flex and twist due to the lack of mounting on one side.

 

[frank]

the engine mounts are the only thing holding that support bar up now eh steve ! it can only drop an inch or 2

 

[SteveG]

So not a death wish drive then?

 

[markbognor]

Probably a good idea not to crash. You've been driving on it like that for a long time before you noticed, so a couple more weeks while you sort out getting the work done isn't going to make any difference.

 

[SteveG]

Good good... cheers

 

[Andrew_Foster]

I got my crossmember changed last week. It was affecting the bonnet. It wouldn't close right down and kept popping up whilst driving. It didn't affect my driving although it's very distracting having your bonnet bounce up and down.

 

[odd_ball]

I got my crossmember changed last week. It was affecting the bonnet. It wouldn't close right down and kept popping up whilst driving. It didn't affect my driving although it's very distracting having your bonnet bounce up and down.

How much did all that cost, Andrew?

 

[winchman]

I just had an MOT and the tester told me Micras can no longer be failed on this as its classed as a radiator support!!
I would still change it though

 

[SteveG]

I see cross member sections on eBay for 30 or 40 quid. Some state they are insurance approved. I guess these are fine as replacements and I can just buy one, strip the front as much as I can and take it to a garage for welding?

 

[Andrew_Foster]

Sorry for the slow reply mate. I replied on my phone but it obviously never went through. My dad changed the crossmember. He got the full part on ebay for around £30 so it's not expensive. You will get new bolts etc so it's a straight forward job.

 

[SteveG]

Does it bolt on before you weld it? Like could I fit a new one just with the bolts and then drive to a garage to get them to weld it? I don't have any welding skills nor mates with them to ask a favour, or borrow and try to learn...

 

[Andrew_Foster]

I'm pretty sure it just bolts on. I'd buy the part and then go to the garage and ask them. Your probably gonna need to remove the front bumper to get right in.

 

[Huggy444]

I think you have to drill a couple of spot welds to get it off, then bolt the new one in and line it up before re spot welding it back on?

 

[SteveG]

Sounds around about the gist from the guide on here (bit tricky to follow without pics). I got pretty close to figuring out getting the bumper off, I think taking the headlights off would let me see and get to the last few illusive screws!

I could definitely get it off trying a second time with more daylight lol. And drilling, cutting, grinding and bolting I can handle. Just need to see if one of my usual local garages would do the welding properly for a fair price.

Or buy a MIG and learn...

 

[SteveG]

Got the bumper and old cross member off. Was pretty tricky as the headlights wouldn't come off due to the two small bolts on each just spinning the square nut inside the plastic housing. Eventually got the bumper off... had a victory beer lol.

The cross member is spot welded (through holes) in about 40 places. Once I figured out where they all were, drilling them out was moderately tricky due to the weld being tough to drill out, sort of like drilling thick stainless.

The last two screws to come out were the ones pictured at the start of this thread, and they did the same annoying spinning nut trick as the headlights. Thankfully, my new best friend the angle grinder made light work of cutting a section of cross member above the nuts, allowing me to get a spanner on them and a torque wrench gave me just enough force to turn the screws out. I was a couple hours into darkness and about to call it a day (started about 10:30am! Bloody headlights made bumper removal a pain in the arse). But then I thought about how much of a ball ache it would be going to work on my bike, and when and how would I get replacement lower radiator supports... so bolted it on and got the bumper, grill and wheels back on. Radiator is MacGyver'd on the bottom with cable ties lol, but seems secure enough.

Got a lot of prep left to do if I get someone to weld it, but I've done the bulk of the work!

Drivable car for tomorrow, so I'm made up

Contemplating getting MIG gasless (wire fed) or gas shielded and learning to weld on scrap cos I'm so sick of paying garages for welding ha ha.

My dad who's restored many cars to showroom from write off including classic cars, sports cars, off road, says he's just got a gasless, as recommended by a mate who owns a welding business, but I have a feeling it might be because my dad wanted something portable or easier to work around his Triumph Stag project. But I see the majority of people recommend gas MIG... I might get one that does both.

I'll take pics of the old one when I get a chance to show how **** it is and also where all the spot welds were on mine.