Patent ID: 8398156

Claim:
A damper mounting structure, comprising: a dash upper panel extending laterally across a vehicle body; a damper mounting portion formed in each lateral end of the dash upper panel, the damper mounting portion including three mounting holes for receiving a corresponding number of threaded bolts for securing an upper end of a suspension damper; and a cross member attached to an upper surface of the dash upper panel, the cross member including a main body welded to an upper surface of the dash upper panel via a pair of lateral flanges thereof extending along either side thereof, and a bowl-shaped portion formed on each lateral end thereof and welded to a periphery of the corresponding damper mounting portion via a peripheral flange formed along an outer periphery of the bowl-shaped portion; wherein the peripheral flange is provided with a pair of cutouts that expose two of the threaded bolts, an opening being formed in a part of the cross member intermediate each bowl-shaped portion and the main body of the cross member for exposing the third threaded bolt; and wherein a circumferential step is formed between the peripheral flange and the bowl-shaped portion, each cutout extending into the circumferential step.