The replacement of wooden crossarm as insulation and structural part in rural distribution networks structures has been tackled by several power utilities around the world. UFMG has conducted a research work, supported by CEMIG-D (a major power utility in Brazil), on this issue evaluating alternatives to the present standard which is based on wooden crossarms. Several alternatives were considered and tested in laboratory. Those adequate to rural distribution networks, according to CEMIG-D needs, were installed and monitored in a test network. The paper presents the reasoning on replacing wooden crossarms, the results regarding the laboratory tests, the characteristics of the installed experimental network and the field survey of its performance.