Will frame twist or spread if I remove a rear crossmember briefly?

What’s up everyone, on my 03 ext cab long bed I am cleaning up some rust and painting the frame under the bed. There is quite a bit of rust next to and a bit behind the rear crossmember that the spare tire carrier attaches to.

I want to remove this crossmember treat the inside of the frame rail well, if I remove this crossmember is the frame have a possibility of twisting or spreading? If it twists or spreads but I can get the crossmember back in and bolted down is that an issue that will bite me in the ass later on?

my rear bumper will stay installed while this crossmember comes out, but my bumper is just a tube bumper built off the OEM towing package trailer hitch. Here’s what I’m working with:
Crossmember I want to remove briefly to paint
Rear bumper built off towing package hitch crossmember
How the bumper is bolted to frame. There’s two more bolts on the bottom of the inside of the frame rail
And the rusty spot I’m looking to treat, I guess I don’t HAVE to take the cross member out but I’d like to do a thorough job.thanks for reading and for any advice you may have for me!

 

Just wanna say, my truck and myself are from california, so this is a lot of rust to me hahah.

I wouldn’t be too worried but I just hear all the horror stories of the these frames rotting and I wanna make this thing last another 20 years.

 

is that a bed mount on the outside of the main rail (over the exhaust)? Matching one on the other side?

A piece of super strut (electrical mounting channel)
or even 2x4 bolted to those should make a good temp fixture.

I don't think the frame is going anywhere when you pull that out, since you'll not be subjecting the vehicle to any forces, but if it makes you feel better.....

 

You're in cali worrying about rust?

 

What a waste of time, that frame is exceptional. You’ve done more damage disassembling everything.

 

I would not worry at all.

 

Just "c" clamp a 2 x 4 across the top of the frame.

Measure the width and mark the 2 x 4 for future verification. Accidents can happen.

 

I’m not worried about rust as in I think it’s going to be a major issue anytime soon. I’m just cleaning up what surface rust is already there. I live in the mountains and they started using salt on the roads the last couple years. Just trying to preserve my vehicle while things are disassembled.

 

Bed was already off. If you’re doing damage by disassembling things… idk what to say there. I never said my frame was trashed, just cleaning things up and protecting it while it’s accessible.

 

Alright I’m just gonna send it. Thanks for the encouragement, just wanted to make sure I wasn’t about to make a real bad mistake by removing it with out any precautions

 

To ease your concerns my truck sat like this for a few months with no issues