Alright, first off, i don't know the name of the part I am talking about here, so i will describe it with the hope that someone can identify. On my 2003 4x4 SLT, on the bottom of the frame, there is a crosspiece about one-third back from the front of the truck. it spans the frame crossways and is about 2 inches tall, 5 inches wide. it is connected by 2 brackets, 1 per frame rail, and 2 bolts per bracket. Now, I am not certain but this seems to be some sort of guard for the transmission/transfer case, as it is below them. It could just be a crosspiece that every truck frame has.

Anyway, at the truckstop, I had to move out of the way of some semis... quickly. My only alternative besides getting run over was to drive down a curb. Unfortunately, I didn't realize that the curbs at truckstop plazas that divide levels of lots are about 9 inches tall. So, when I was driving down the curb, EI smacked the crap out of the piece that is described above. I have identified the two spots of impact. Keep in mind that I hit hard on that piece.

My questions are:

A. What is that piece/what is its function?
B. How hard do I have to land on it in order to break it off?
I don't know exactly how the piece is attached to the frame, but it is welded and bolted firmly into place (as explained above).

Everything is working just as usual in terms of mechanics, but I don't want this piece to fall off while I'm driving, and I don't want to have severely damaged a key part of the vehicle.

I probably sound like an idiot who doesn't know trucks very well... and I probably am. But I am trying to make sure that I haven't beat my truck up for more than its built to take.

 

Ya i did the same thing in a parking lot last week. Everything seems allright as far as I can tell.