Trans Cross brace broke. Anyone else?

Kremeneon

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Lets hope Hustler takes care of you. My bolts broke and the brace dipped down and bent. I noticed it Monday. Saw this post this morning and have already called the dealer with the issue and upgraded part number. They have a new bracket on order!

This is why I bought from a dealer and not a box store :smile:

Dealer called me yesterday to say it had arrived. after some confusion when I showed up they handed me the still sealed shipping box. It is a beefy part, definitely thicker steel than the original. I still don't like the welds to the spool pieces from the plate, they could have been done much better and more completely and IMHO are the weakest point of the redesigned part (not counting fastener failure).

It came as a kit with a nice tyvec drawstring bag of hardware and a two page install sheet. I'll try to document it before install.
 

akcooper9

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Dealer called me yesterday to say it had arrived. after some confusion when I showed up they handed me the still sealed shipping box. It is a beefy part, definitely thicker steel than the original. I still don't like the welds to the spool pieces from the plate, they could have been done much better and more completely and IMHO are the weakest point of the redesigned part (not counting fastener failure).

It came as a kit with a nice tyvec drawstring bag of hardware and a two page install sheet. I'll try to document it before install.

Great news! At this point I'm going to leave the new part on the shelf and run the old part until it breaks again!
 

577jersey

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Im gonna call my dealer and see if I can get the brace just in case before I run out of warranty.
Thanks for the info and part #.
 

BEYTILL

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I went down to my dealer 2 days ago. Needed a new drive belt, original is showing cracks, and to pick up a couple of exhaust gaskets. I've noticed that the left side getting louder. Asked if they had any of the new crossbrace's in stock. They did and they have had to changed a few. Got the crossbrace free, under warranty. I also stopped by the hardware store to replace the grade 5 bolts that come with the kit with grade 8's.

So today I removed the engine guard and the rear frame section, to get to the muffler easier, and jacked it up removed the tires. Last year I had rapped the muffler with Thermo-Tec tape, the same stuff I've used on my bikes, trucks, etc, to try to quit the grass burning. Don't even bother. It doesn't help. I even rapped it twice. The only thing it did was rust the steel. Bad. The muffler looked like it was 10 years old.

I started to remove the exhaust nuts. It's a PITA. Not much room for large paws. I was removing the last nut and noticed the left exhaust header moving. LOL! The only thing that was holding it on was the tape and hose clamps. It had total broken off. Somewhere, sometime I must bang something hard enough to snap and bent the pipe. It also had some nasty cracks in it. Yes, I could of welded it back together but I would of had to remount and tack it and then remove, and finish welding because it was so screwed up. There only $45. Screw it, ordered a new one.

As for the crossbrace, gravy work. The 2 top bolts where loose. I removed them, yes the were installed wrong, and the threads were pretty chewed up. Removed the 2 bottom bolts, installed wrong, they were fine. Pried the old brace out and had to spread the cases a little to get the new one in. Just a tiny amount. Installed new grade 8 bolts, washers, lock washers and nuts. Torqued and then double nutted them. And yes, installed the right way.

I don't know if it's just laziness or Hustlers engineers. But you never make a connection where the shear point is on the threads. Always on the shank. Same as bolting up a building. Did it for 30 years.
 

Kremeneon

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But you never make a connection where the shear point is on the threads. Always on the shank. Same as bolting up a building. Did it for 30 years.

This.
 

MikeRSD54

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Just upgraded to a Raptor SD recently, and browsing this thread had me wondering if the production 2017 SD's had the redesigned braces. Went out this morning before work and checked, and it appears the new brace is standard now. Snapped a couple of photos while I was out there. Still gunna keep an eye on those bolts though :smile:
 

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turboawd

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Just upgraded to a Raptor SD recently, and browsing this thread had me wondering if the production 2017 SD's had the redesigned braces. Went out this morning before work and checked, and it appears the new brace is standard now. Snapped a couple of photos while I was out there. Still gunna keep an eye on those bolts though :smile:

and they paint the bracket yellow now. cool!
 

Datadave

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Good info, Thanks Mike

Mine is a 2016, guess I need to keep an eye on it
 

577jersey

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Dealer wont give me the kit until my original brace cracks or bends..200 hours and it looks good to me,I believe mine is a 2016.
 

Kremeneon

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Now I'm going to have to repaint mine before I install it.
 
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