Patent ID: 8171641

Claim:
A method of assembling a vehicle frame comprising: hydro-forming two side U-shaped members that each have a pair of spaced lower ends, a front U-shaped member and a rear U-shaped member; forming two side reinforcement members, a front reinforcement member, and a rear reinforcement member; assembling and securing the two side reinforcement members to the pair of spaced lower ends of each of the side U-shaped members to form two side subassemblies wherein the reinforcement member establishes the spread of the side subassemblies as measured between the pair of spaced lower ends, and wherein the reinforcement member also establishes the spacing between the side reinforcement members to the top of one of the side U-shaped members; and assembling and securing the front reinforcement member to the pair of spaced lower ends of the front U-shaped member to form a front subassembly; assembling and securing the rear reinforcement member to the pair of spaced lower ends of the rear U-shaped member to form a rear subassembly; joining each of the side subassemblies to the front subassembly and to the rear subassembly with each of the spaced lower ends of the U-shaped members being disposed to be laterally adjacent to one other of the spaced lower ends to form the vehicle frame.