Patent ID: 7325866

Claim:
A frame for a motor vehicle, comprising: a pair of laterally spaced, longitudinally extending central side rail structures, each of the central side rail structures having a top and a side; a pair of tubular hydroformed first side rail members, each of the first side rail members being connected at a first joint to a first end portion of a respective one of the central side rail structures such that a second portion of each of the first side rail members extends generally laterally through the side of the respective central side rail structure; and a pair of second side rail structures, each of the second side rail structures being connected at a second joint to a second end portion of a respective one of the central side rail structures, one of each of the respective central side rail structures, first side rail members, and second side rail structures forming one of a pair of laterally spaced side rail assemblies, and a laterally extending connecting structure connected between the side rail assemblies and being constructed and arranged to hold the side rail assemblies in laterally spaced relation to one another.