This topic is being started simply out of curiosity and I can't seem to find any real definite answer on it. I have been looking around at some of the V8 swaps happening on our cars and a few of the 2JZ swaps and notice they are removing the "crossmember" that sits in front of the motor. I have heard a few different ideas on what exactly that is for. So far the best one I've heard is that it is in the event that you get hit from the side it doesn't completely smash the motor and bend the frame rails. If anyone has any insight on this I would appreciate it.

 

all i know is that people have replaced the oem crossmember with a tubular style crossmember for better fitment of turbo piping and the like. from my understanding, there's a need to realign the car after this is done, so i'm guessing it works with the subframe. not sure how you could totally delete something like that without seriously compromising the rigidity of the frame.

 

if there was no crossmemeber there would be a lot of body flex

 

^^That was my understanding, that it was more for body rigidity and that is why strut tower bars were cosmetic in our cars as the crossmember already does that job.

 

The only reason I would question the body flex idea is because of cars like raw powers s2000. I was looking at pictures of their 2jz s2k and I don't see a crossmember in there or any bracing. Now this could be due to camera angles into the bay but from the ones I've seen I would think I'd see it. This car wheelies fairly high and I would imagine if flex was an issue then they wouldn't have left it out.

 

They definately have a crossmember in there. It just sits lower. It would be completely unsafe with that heavy 2JZ and all that power.