Patent ID: 7386938

Claim:
A method of joining tubular members together, said method comprising the steps of: hydroforming a first tubular member having a depression therein with a plurality of planar surfaces, wherein the planar surfaces comprise a first surface extending generally horizontally, a second surface extending upwardly at an angle from an end of said first surface, a third surface extending upwardly at an angle from one side of said first surface, and a fourth surface extending upwardly at an angle from another side of said first surface; hydroforming a second tubular member having an end, said end having a plurality of planar surfaces including at least a generally horizontal first surface and a second surface extending at an inclined angle from an end of said first surface, said end also comprising a generally horizontal planar fifth surface extending from an upper end of said second surface; positioning the end of the second tubular member over the depression of the first tubular member, wherein said fifth surface overlaps a top surface of said first hydroformed tubular member; and joining the first tubular member and the second tubular member together to form a dovetail joint between the first tubular member and second tubular member.