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Replacement crossmember (long post)
Not a bad idea, ...has anyone done this??
- Camron from Vancouver, WA USA
'86.5 Black 16V 2.0L
Mark wrote:
>Another option might be to cut out a piece from a rear-ended Scirocco
>from a wrecker and weld it in your car...
>
>Mark.
>75
>80 S
>81 S 2.0 ABA/JH/4K
>
>
>
>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: scirocco-l-bounces@scirocco.org [mailto:scirocco-l-
>>bounces@scirocco.org] On Behalf Of Camron D. Crouse
>>Sent: March 10, 2004 7:32 PM
>>To: Scirocco List
>>Subject: Replacement crossmember (long post)
>>
>>So a few weeks ago I finally get around to checking my front
>>
>>
>crossmember
>
>
>>for cracks.... ho boy its *bad* - the tissue around the motor mount
>>socket is nearly cracked all around, a mangled punch-through, with
>>
>>
>some
>
>
>>additional cracks father away as well. The mount itself, is toast, as
>>well. So I immediately place an order for an A1 crossmember brace,
>>
>>
>from
>
>
>>Eric S Scirocco81... okay, three weeks to delivery, so I start
>>
>>
>thinking
>
>
>>about my options, and order some other tune-up items while I'm
>>
>>
>waiting.
>
>
>>Well my brace is nearly here, so yesterday I went around to a couple
>>alignment/underbody and frame shops in town for some repair estimates.
>>Had a hard time getting actual $ quotes, so am also taking into
>>
>>
>account
>
>
>>shops' hourly rate $. (was showing photos from Eric's references
>>instead of my actual car)
>>
>>One full-service frame shop I visited said that welding the
>>
>>
>crossmember
>
>
>>back together wasn't really the best option, and that I should
>>A) have the section replaced with a custom made crossmember, or
>>B) order a "new" factory crossmember from VW and have it installed.
>>(presumably with the crossmember installed afterwards)
>>
>>WTF?? Order a new crossmember from VW? Isn't that whole section of
>>
>>
>the
>
>
>>car like one welded-together piece? Well, sort of, the tech said, but
>>that that they have done something similar with various cars (they are
>>
>>
>a
>
>
>>frame shop, after all). The tech told me to come back later in the
>>
>>
>day
>
>
>>to talk to the owner, who was away from the shop for a couple hours,
>>
>>
>and
>
>
>>that he would have a better idea of how to proceed, and what it might
>>cost.
>>
>>I was unable to come back later, but out of curiosity I did stop by
>>
>>
>the
>
>
>>VW dealership parts shop to find out about this crossmember
>>
>>
>replacement
>
>
>>hoo-haw. Well, lo and behold, the crossmember component IS a part
>>offered by VW, which surprised me, as well as the parts guys looking
>>
>>
>it
>
>
>>up. (I showed them a picture of the custom brace, and they were
>>impressed, and thought it was a great idea... actually it got positive
>>comments from the repair shops I visited as well.)
>>"$734.51," he says. Holy smoke, I knew this crossmember would not be
>>cheap if indeed available, but that is just completely out of my
>>budget. "Okay, let me see here, " the guy on the computer says, and
>>after a moment fiddling with some items onscreen, "how about $586.61?
>>It'll take about 14 days , Our warehouse doesn't have any in stock"
>>What's this, I can negotiate my price on VW dealership parts???
>>
>>
>That's
>
>
>>a first for me.
>>
>>Pondering the surprising fact that it is a replaceable part, but still
>>reeling from the price, I told the guys I'd have to pass, at least for
>>now. One of them said "Although your welds will end up stronger than
>>the surrounding metal if you repair what you have, I'd go with a new
>>piece if it were my car." Although friendly and otherwise
>>
>>
>knowledgeable,
>
>
>>they didn't really seem to know much about this being a common problem
>>with our Sciroccos. I never got the impression they were just trying
>>
>>
>to
>
>
>>get my money, I merely think they were trying to offer good advice...
>>
>>So after some thought I'm still leaning towards my first plan: welding
>>up the existing crossmember, having the crossmember brace installed,
>>
>>
>and
>
>
>>new motor mount put into place. Welds are strong, right ? ;)
>>
>>Replacing with a stock crossmember, aside from the expense of the new
>>piece itself, presents the additional problem and expense of ( I
>>
>>
>would
>
>
>>presume) engine removal and replacement for a complex and lengthy
>>
>>
>stock
>
>
>>crossmember installation, (no doubt the factory new crossmember will
>>
>>
>be
>
>
>>just as brittle and susceptible to cracking as the the one in my car
>>now - why spend ~$500 on another piece of junk?)
>>
>>A custom made crossmember would be pretty cool, but again, likely out
>>of my price range. (Seems I read in the Archives someone had this
>>
>>
>done
>
>
>>and was pretty happy with the result.) Besides, it would render the
>>$129 I spent on the custom brace somewhat moot, eh?
>>
>>Another thing - this Scirocco has been wrecked, and though I've spent
>>quite a bit of money and energy on repairing the car back to its
>>
>>
>former
>
>
>>glory, I have a have a hard time justifying spending more than I have
>>to on a car whose frame was at one time compromised. I have been
>>
>>
>known
>
>
>>to replace worn-out stock items with aftermarket upgrades, but
>>
>>
>hesitate
>
>
>>to upgrade just for the sake of it for this reason.
>>
>>If you've made it this far, hey thanks, I appreciate any input or
>>
>>
>opinions!
>
>
>>- Camron from Vancouver, WA USA
>> '86.5 Black 16V 2.0L
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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