On my Tracker, there was a rusty tube bolted between the rear of the frame rails.  Most Trackers I see have one, most are rusty.  Mine was rusted through in one place.  I guess it's a reinforcement, but I unbolted it and threw it away anyhow.  Has anyone noticed ill effects from trashing this thing?

The only thing I know it is good for is to help protect the gas tank in a rear end collision. 
I have removed them, or what was left of them, and it didn't affect anything (but I also was never rear ended...so...).

i replaced mine with a hitch. some guys just weld/bolt in a new crossmember, or go to the trouble of finding a non rusty one to bolt in. but yes, it is for rear collision protection. without it its a pinto with 4wd.

without it its a pinto with 4wd.

I don't think I'd go that far.

It's a crossmember.  It is important.

However I've had two Trackers with rusted out rear tubular crossmembers and they drove just fine.

Funny; I just painted mine black this weekend (it was super rusty). It looks a lot better now.

I am looking to put a hitch on my Kick. When you install a hitch, I assume this part gets removed?

- Andy

Not usually.

I removed mine and replaced it with a steel bumper bolted in it's place. Anything that hits me there is gonna get totaled.

Funny; I just painted mine black this weekend (it was super rusty). It looks a lot better now.

I am looking to put a hitch on my Kick. When you install a hitch, I assume this part gets removed?

- Andy

when i installed my hitch it replaced that cross member, mine acually wasnt rusty just had a ding in it from wheelin.
should have kept it and sold it to one of you guys

I just took mine off i'm going to replace it with a bigger piece of square tubing with a receiver hitch on it hopefully it works out ok

be careful doing so, a proper hitch has stronger side plates to take the stress, the stock bars side plates are pretty thin to be using for a hitch. better off getting some nice angle iron for new side plates as well.