has anyone else had an issue with taking off the cross member to get the oil pan out? We've ( my brother and I) basically cut all the bolts or broken them taking it off and one bolt remains. should it be this hard. it's getting ridiculous. I got it started and re bled the engine/antifreeze ( please see how to do this because it was an issue for me). ran great for about 20 minutes and the oil light started going on and off. I was sure it was the sump pick up was clogged. got the oil pan off an sure enough the bottom is full of trash as is the stainer... can't get the pan out tho. any help would be great! sooner is better than later cause I only have 2 days left of vacation and was hoping to finish it up. plus I hate leaving the pan off for too long in the weather. thanks!!!

 

I sprayed those bolts with penetrating oil about an hour before unbolting them and didn't have any problems once I put the cheater bar on the lug wrench...but, if one bolt is giving you grief then hit it with the hot wrench (torch).

 

yeah I hit them with PB and broke one... next day broke another and then just tried to cut the last ones... burnt up the last disc of the tool on the last remaining one. have a chisel stuck... like can't get it out... under there as we speak I guess I'll try the hacksaw method tomorrow. I think I have a good enuff gap to get it in there now with the chisel wedged in it. just not sure how much range back and forth I'll have.

 

I haven't been able to remove either crossmember on mine because the bolts just strip or the heads shear off. I anticipate having to completely grind them away when the time comes.

 

Drill the last one out.

 

If we're talking about the same crossmember I ran into the same problem when I wanted to re-seal the transfer case. I couldn't get even the first bolt I tried to come out so I just drained and refilled the TC lube. I looked at it again the other day. Some day ...

 

I tried drilling mine. They seem to be hardened.

 

Same here.. Had issues and stripped a couple.. tried to shear off but found below tool easily removed it... Have used it several times since and it's never failed..

 

The oil pan comes out Without removing the crossmember.
Jack the front up, you can jack under the center of that crossmember too.
Spin the pan around with the sump now facing the front.
Pull the thin, front end down and out, towards the driver's side.
It comes out easy.
My 04 is also stock heigth.
I just removed the pan this way, because the 4 crossmember bolts on mine don't want to come out either.

 

See pic, crossmember is still in.