Does anyone have pics of their car's crossmember area with a LS swap and using a l460e? I bought the Hawks one because I'm running their Hawks Stainless Works 2" headers and full exhaust kit. Problem I'm having is the crossmember I got from Hawks is not wide enough and it appears that it's not the crossmember that's the problem but the distance between the frame rails is wider than normal. Anyone else have a issue like this? I need to use a dipped crossmember like the Hawks one to clear the Y-pipe.I am currently going to refab this crossmember to fit so I can make some progress on my car. feel free to chime in on this issue and pics if you have them.

 

Do you have any pics? Although I don't have an auto I went through hell trying to get the right trans cross member.

 

Taking some measurements now.

 

In this pic the top of the pic is toward the rear of car. There are 3 holes on each side of frame but only the 2 toward the rear are threaded and that’s what the OEM crossmember was attached to. The Hawks uses the same holes but simply isn’t wide enough. I had to cut one side from the frame mounting piece and spot weld it back at a different angle. Problem also is mounting hole for trans mount is not centered.

 

Top pic shows crossmember installed. Bottom pic shows mounting hole off center.

 

This pic shows where I cut and tacked on passenger side.

This shows where I cut section out of crossmember mounting to fit along frame rail due tu curve in rail from factory.

 

So. Is it that I have a off spec car? Is this issue common? Besides building my own crossmember any comments or suggestions?

 

Shifty,Hell is where I’m at at the moment.

 

Wait til you get transmission installed you will see that the mount will need to go towards the rear and you will only use the 2 factory holes and will have to find a way to get it bolted up with the other remaining tranny mount holes. I ended up welding large washers to a nut and slipping them into framerails and welded them so they will never turn.

 

The mount hole should be off center a bit. The tail shaft is shifted towards the passenger side so there is adequate space for the torque arm mount. That seems ok in your pics. I do echo what was said about seeing once the trans is in. Once the kmember is bolted in and you are happy with engine spacing, you will see what you are working with in regards to trans location. Have you seen the Holley unit? Its about a millions better fit than the hawks. Board member Chuck! has the hawks unit and it is going away once his LS6 is removed in favor of his new LS7.

 

I’d recommend the Holley transmission crossmember as well. It even comes with nutsert plates you can slide into the frame and that’s where you bolt the additional holes to. One thing to keep in mind though is it might require the Holley motor mounts since they move the engine and trans forward. The crossmember might not line up otherwise. You could contact Holley and ask.

bruce at hawks is also pretty responsive if you have questions about the cross member you bought from them.

 

It should work for him since he running the same setup I am running. UMI kmember, mount pad and solid mounts.

 

My issue with the Holley is I’m not sure it will work with the Hawks Stainless Works setup. Calling Holley tomorrow. Talked to Bruce last week. Waiting on return call.

 

Like the looks of the Holley setup in that pic. I’ll be out of pocket for the next two weeks due to eye surgeries. When I get back to car I’ll post pics. Thanks for the replies btw.

 

It should be fine. I have long tubes in that picture. Or are you afraid of the whole setup post collector? I know I will have to make a custom ypipe.

 

That’s my concern. The Hawks/Stainless Works is a complete system. The y-pipe is pre made so we shall see. I’m going to go ahead and order a Holley tomorrow if my conversation goes well with the Holley tech. Like the looks and design of it.

 

Typical hawks fitment issue with these.Had similar problems holes not lining up. Lotta grinding re-welding.In the end i modified the stock piece.

 

Order through WS6project. Cheapest price, great service.

 

Same price everywhere. Holley has a lot of fixed pricing on their products.

 

Looks like they did fix their price. I have bought two of them for $299 through ws6store (just a few weeks ago) with no tax and free shipping, However they too are now at $331. Bummer.

 

Hey BADMAN, I can save you the phone call to Holley. No one in the tech service group will have an answer for you as to whether the Hooker Blackheart transmission crossmember will be compatible with the Hawks/Stainless Works mounts and headers that you have. Their guidance is based off of information I provide them from my development work and no effort was made during that effort to validate the compatibility of the parts within the Hooker Blackheart swap system with parts from other manufacturers. You best source for an answer to that question will be this forum, from someone who has tried that combination of parts together.

 

Won't fit. Post #343, https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/ltx-...ml#post6000192