Transit mk7 2011 skylight remove rib/crossmember/brace?

[crowlands27]

Hi all!

I'm converting my transit mk7 into a camper and I'd like to fit a skylight along with the solar panels that I bought. The only place I can make it fit is central to the roof, which means that I'd have to cut through the pictured brace.
Does anyone know if this is structural and will it cause me any issue?

Thanks

[ste550]

Hiya, Mine had a rectangular panel at the back, for a sunroof originally was told, so I used that and put a smaller one up front and panel in the middle.

[Gravity]

Yep, that's a structural cross member.
Ask yourself why Ford put it there if it wasn't needed as a brace, and you've more or less answered your own question.
Just a thought - is it possible to fit the skylight and also leave that beam in place? It would sit cross the skylight, but would that really matter?

[Airthies]

Get jiggy with a jigsaw.
Just get a welded brace to go around your skylight too replace the section you've cut out you'll be fine.
You can also cut it out and do nothing else other than fitting your skylight, there's no one stopping you, and to be honest it's more to provide shape and therefore structure, but also rigidity in respect of vibration, that's why the roof is glued to it rather than welded.
Depending on the structure of your skylight and how you bond it too the roof, this will also provide rigidity around the opening you cut.

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