ok picture this... exhaust is off, cats are somewhat disconnected, but hanging by the tranny cross beam... here is the question.

Can I take off the cross beam (safely) while the car is jacked at one corner so I can drop the cats and work on them off the car? tried jiggleing the cats towards the back but they don't go back far enough.
TIA!
Den

Are you sure this is a sporting member of the trans and not something else??

well there are 2 "cross beams" on the e36 one is the tranny mount and one is just an exhaust hanger. you can take bolth of them out. you will probably want to support the tranny if you take that mount off. but if I am under standing you correctly you just want to get the mid pipe section out why dont you just just un hook the rubber hangers?