H3 Crossmember Failure Dealer Says $700 to replace (parts and labor)

Hi,

I haven't been on here in forever, and glad to see things are still going strong. I need some help please! Took my 2008 H3 (Adventure package 134,000 miles) to the dealership and they came up with quite a list.

The biggest thing is the rattle in the left front end. They said (please see attached picture) the crossmember is broken, can't be fixed and needs to replace the entire frame for $700. Hope you can see the failure up near the upper right inside the blue circle).

All those years of offroading and Solar has done great. Go figure driving down the road and this happens!

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

That looks like the front differential bushing, GM sells the entire cross member just to replace that little rubber bushing.

There are 2 vendors here that sell upgraded bushings to fix that issue (without requiring buying the entire cross member) at a fraction of the cost.

I have done the outfitterdesign bushing kit, its a DIY and it has everything you need to do it locally.

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Wow, that would be great, but, I'm not mechanical, so I'm not sure how one repairs the bushing without replacing the entire bar (to me it looks like it has broken off)?

You diffenetly need to get a second opinion on it from somewhere else besides the dealer. But usually its the bushing that fails in that area, the cross member is metal while the bushing is rubber. If the cross member was breaking it usually happens at the sides where it mounts to the frame.

From you pic I can clearly see the rubber is broken abit. Do you have a pic with the ucp removed?


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$700 is too much for just the crossmember. Find another mechanic or a friend that has tools and knowledge working on vehicles. The crossmember is easy to work on. The front differential bushings are another matter but if it's $700 for a new crossmember and new front differential bushings then that starts to sound more reasonable.

Thanks for the info. I sent the pix and an email to Outfitter Design to see if they can help!

Sorry, no other pix. Will be getting another opinion this w/end! Thank you.

That crossmember is 300 or so, less than an hour to replace. An independent shop can do it for less than the dealer.

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Just checked. The part is $232 plus shipping on parts.com

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You could also take the crossmember out (like 3 or 5 bolts) and have a shop press out the old bushing, press in the new bushing, and put it right back on the truck. Would be cheaper than $700 and last longer than oem.

It's from driving with stilettos, makes you push the skinny pedal down more. lol

I think they are playing the "girl card" I know you can get better help from somewhere else.

Was a "whole new frame" their words?

It could also be an issue where the crossmember bolts to the frame. The crossmember can get small stress fractures around the four mounting bolts. I’ve welded-up one before, but I would rather have replaced it with a new one. Before you hassle with installing a new bushing...check the ends of the crossmember. It might not be worth saving.


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Suggest just purchase cross member for the $300 price point approximately and replace at your earliest convenience. A local mechanic at $125 for one hour and your $300 ahead easy. You can than fix your other junk lol.

Update: After a few more emails repeating my question the dealership replied:

"Yes the bushing/grommet is completely broken from crossmember. We did not see the crossmember cracked." So it's the bushings, not the crossmember, unless when they take it apart the crossmember is cracked (which Will at Outfitters said wouldn't be visible unless the crossmember was removed).


Will at Outfitter Designs has been very helpful in explaining and answering my questions.

This w/end I have an appt. at "City Garage" (they did my new radiator and were helpful) and they will look over my truck and the list the dealership gave me of all the crap they say it needs and go from there. They have no problem with showing me the bushings and crossmember bar and taking pix. AND NO CHARGE!

Next is my email to the Service Manager about the $130 charge for looking at my truck? Been a customer for more than 10 yrs...

I don't like that the dealership seems to be playing the "Girl Card". You guys know me, they are messing with the wrong girl! I don't mind paying for quality work and parts when necessary.

Thanks for all your help on this! I will let you know when I learn more after Saturday.

Just a note, on the V8 I was replacing cross members every 25K (all under warranty). Had 3 replaced simply due to a worn bushing and that bushing isnt a serviceable item from GM so you need to buy the entire cross member which comes with the bushing pressed in (similar to the UCA)
With the OD kit I havent had the bushings fail in 45K, double the stock GM

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I'm not sure I understand what I'm seeing in your picture. I have the same year, option H3, and this is what that bolt looks like from below



I see a cross bar (ignore the grate behind and its angle - that's 'custom') but I don't get what happened to yours. If that bushing did pull through, simply welding the tube back in place (after removal of the bushing) should resolve the issue. As for $700 - I don't think that's unreasonable if that includes labor....