Am General LLC

Jeffrey R Spehar

John T McNally

Hariton N Poparad

Mark Cutshall

Poparad N Hariton

A vehicle frame rail includes a first half having a hole, a second half having a hole, and a spacer. The second half is connected to the first half such that the hole in the first half is aligned with the hole in the second half and so as to form an enclosed space between the first half and the second half. The spacer has a first end, a first projection extending from the first end, a second end, a second projection extending from the second end, and a bore extending from the first end to the second end. The spacer is located in the enclosed space such that the first projection of the spacer extends into the hole of the first half and the second projection of the spacer extends into the hole of the second half. A method of manufacturing a vehicle frame rail includes pressing a projection on one of the spacers against the perimeter of a hole in one of the frame rail halves to connect the spacer to the frame rail half.

Vehicle frame rails with swaged spacer connection and methods of manufacturing vehicle frame rails

A vehicle frame rail includes a first half having a hole, a second half having a hole, a spacer locating member and a spacer. The second half is connected to the first half such that the hole in the first half is aligned with the hole in the second half and so as to form an enclosed space between the first half and the second half. The spacer locating member has a body section and a hole. The body section of the spacer locating member is spaced apart from the first half and the second half. The spacer has a first end, a second end and a bore extending from the first end to the second end. The spacer is located in the hole of the spacer locating member such that the bore is aligned with the hole in the first half and the hole in the second half.

Growing community of inventors

Northville, MI, United States of America

Jeffrey R Spehar