Patent ID: 8065800

Claim:
A method of assembling a rear axle module to a chassis frame that has right and left side rail channels running lengthwise of the chassis frame, each of the right and left side rail channels having an interior bounded by a vertical wall and horizontal top and bottom flanges that extend from top and bottom of the vertical wall toward corresponding flanges of an opposite side rail, the method comprising: filling interiors of side rails with fillers; positioning the right and left side rail channels of the rear axle module below right and left side rails and relatively moving the module and frame toward each other to cause an interior of each channel of the module that is bounded by a bottom wall and inner and outer upright flanges to fit to a corresponding side rail with the bottom wall of each module channel being disposed against the bottom flanges of the corresponding side rail and with the inner flanges of each module channel disposed against free ends of flanges of a respective side rail and a corresponding filler and with the outer flange of each module channel disposed against the vertical wall of the respective side rail; and fastening each module channel, a respective side rail channel, and a respective filler together in horizontal compression.