Rear Crossmember Replacement

[urchinhead]

Cutting out the old one next week, and installing the Classic reproduction. My ‘81 has L brackets poorly welded inside the frame rails. Does anyone know if this is factory? Most welds look like crap, so hard to tell.

 

[rubclt]

Looks like a rear bumper brace. What rear bumper did if have, if any?

 

[urchinhead]

A random bumper made of round tubing. There was also a tow hitch welded on below the bumper and to the frame at the wheel wells.

The new bumper will be a Warn rock crawler. Sounds like I can ditch the inner L brackets - I think the Warn has outer frame L brackets that bolt on.

 

[Dave The Sparky]

Both my 8s had those L brackets inside and outside the frame and like you i thought they were home made but i inquired on this forum and found that they are indeed factory.
Mine were bolted on with long bolts and sleeves in those holes, pretty sure they weren't welded.
The rear crossmember had a very thin factory weld top and bottom if i remember correctly so those L brackets would be much needed reinforcement i would think.

 

[urchinhead]

They came out pretty easily. There was one factory sleeve per bracket. Welds were likely from the tow hitch that was once welded on. Thanks everyone!