you dont need the bar that connects the two brackets... mine didnt clear the exhaust so i notched the bar a lil.... then the exhaust sagged and it started rubbing.. very annoying... then when my tranny failed... i didnt want to take the x-member off and put it back on again... so i cut it.. everything from then was great...
as far as bushing angle did you put the bushings on the right way when they went back on.... thats a mistake i made once....