Chapter 9

Vehicle Construction

Objectives
Define the most important parts of a vehicle
Explain body design and frame variations
Compare unibody and body-over-frame
construction
Identify the major structural parts, sections, and
assemblies of body-over-frame vehicles

Objectives (continued)
Identify the major structural parts, sections and
assemblies of unibody vehicles
Summarize how to classify vehicles by body,
engine, and drivetrain configurations

Introduction
Vehicle construction refers to how a vehicle is
made
Vehicles are a maze of interacting mechanicalelectrical systems
Over 15,000 parts are used in a typical vehicle
Damage to one part can affect the operation of
another seemingly unrelated part
Different types of construction require different
methods repair frame/unibody damage

Crash Testing
Vehicles must be light, aerodynamic, and yet
strong and safe
Computer-simulated crash testing is used before
building a prototype to find weak structural areas
Critical that passenger compartment is strong
enough to prevent injury
Certified crash tests are done with a real vehicle
and sensor equipped-dummies
Crush zones are built into the frame or body to
absorb some of the energy of a collision

Vehicle Classifications
Vehicle classification relates to the construction,
size, shape, number of doors, type of roof, and
other criteria of a motor vehicle
To communicate properly in collision repair, you
must understand these basic terms

Vehicle Construction
Part or component refers to the smallest units on
a vehicle
An assembly is several parts that fit together
Panel refers to a large removable body part
Pan refers to a floor-related component
Chassis includes everything under the body,
consisting of the mechanical systems that
support and power the car

(A) Unibody construction welds major body panels together to form the frame for attaching
the engine, drivetrain, suspension, and other parts. This type of construction is commonly
used on cars.

(B) With body-over-frame construction, a thick gauge steel frame provides the foundation for
holding other parts. This type of construction is commonly used on large trucks and SUVs.
Figure 9-4. Two very different methods used to construct modern vehicles: unibody and
body-over-frame construction

Full Frames
Body-over-frame vehicles have separate body
and chassis parts bolted to the frame
Full frame vehicle is heavier - high amounts of
energy are absorbed by the frame in a collision
Torque boxes allow some twisting to absorb road
shock and collision impact
Crossmembers extend sideways across frame
rails to support the engine, suspension, chassis
Full- or partial-frame construction is used on
most full-size and some small pickup trucks

Full Frames (continued)

Frame is an independent separate part
Perimeter frame has a frame rail near the
outside of the vehicle, and is the most common
Ladder frame has long frame rails with a series
of straight crossmembers, and is seldom used
Partial frame is a cross between a solid frame
and a unibody
Sub-frame assemblies are used at the front and
rear while the unibody supports the middle area

Unibody Construction
Unibody construction uses body parts welded
and bolted together
Uses lighter, thinner, high-strength steel alloys

Body shell is formed by welding sheet metal into

a box- or egg-like configuration
Strength is achieved through shape and design
instead of mass and weight

Stressed hull structure disperses force over the

entire body shell

Space Frame
Space frame vehicle has a metal body structure
covered with an outer skin of plastic or
composite panels
Roof and quarter panels may be attached with
mechanical fasteners or adhesives
After a collision a space frame is more likely to
have hidden damage, or hidden corrosion
Support members are bolted to unibody bottom
Needed in high-stress areas to reduce body flex

Figure 9-7. The suspension and braking systems bolt

directly to the body on a vehicle with unitized construction.

Joining Parts
Fastened parts are held together with fasteners
Welded parts are permanently joined by welding
Press-fit or snap-fit parts use clips or an
interface to fit parts together
Adhesive-bonded parts use high-strength epoxy
or special glue to hold parts together
Composite unibody is made of plastics and other
materials
Keeping metal parts to a minimum cuts weight
while increasing strength and performance

Figure 9-8. Note the space frame construction. Composite (plastic) panels fasten to
a metal inner body structure. Composite panels can be made flexible to resist door
dings and small dents.

Major Body Sections

Vehicle is divided into three sections
Front, center and rear

Front section includes everything between front

bumper and fire wall
Also called nose section, front clip, doghouse

Center section or midsection includes body parts

that form passenger compartment
Also called a greenhouse

Rear section also called tail section, rear clip,

cathouse

Panel and Assembly Nomenclature

Panel is a stamped steel or molded plastic sheet
that forms a body part
When panels are joined with other components,
the result is an assembly
Vehicles built for American roads
Left side is steering wheel side
Right side is passenger side

Front Section Parts

Cowl is near rear of front section, right in front of
the windshield
Shock towers or strut towers are reinforced body
areas for holding upper parts of suspension
Dash panel, firewall, or front bulkhead is panel
dividing front and center sections
Bumper assembly bolts to front frame horns or
rails to absorb minor impacts

Figure 9-12. This top view of unibody construction shows how

structural members are added to support the engine suspension
and other mechanical systems.

Center Section Parts

Floor pan is main structural section in bottom of
passenger compartment
Tunnel is formed in floor pan for transmission
and drive shaft
Pillars are vertical body members that hold roof
panel in place and protect in case of rollover
Front pillars extend next to windshield edges
Must be strong; also called A-pillars

Center pillars or B-pillars, are roof supports

between front and rear doors

Center Section Parts (continued)

Rear pillars, or C-pillars, extend up from quarter
panels to hold rear of roof
Rocker panels or door sills are strong beams
that fit at bottom of door openings
Rear shelf, or package tray, is a thin panel
behind rear seat in front of back glass
Window regulator is a gear mechanism that
allows you to raise and lower door glass
Side impact beams are metal bars or corrugated
panels that bolt or weld inside door assemblies

Figure 9-15. Doors normally have strong steel beams under the door
skin to protect people during side impact collisions.

Rear Section Parts

Rear hatch is a larger panel and glass assembly
hinged for more access to the rear
Quarter panels are large side body sections that
extend from side doors back to rear bumper
Lower rear panel fits between trunk
compartment and rear bumper
Rear shock towers hold rear suspension
Inner wheel housings surround rear wheels

Gaskets and Seals

Various gaskets and rubber seals prevent air
and water leakage between body parts
Seals or weatherstripping are often used around
doors and the rear deck lid
Rubber seal is partially compressed when door
or lid is closed to form a leakproof connection
Rubber gasket often seals stationary glass
where it fits into body

Anticorrosion Materials
Anticorrosion materials prevent rusting of metal
parts
Undercoating is often a thick tar or synthetic
rubber-based material sprayed onto underbody
After performing repairs, you must restore all
corrosion protection

Sound-Deadening Materials
Sound-deadening materials help quiet
passenger compartment
Insulation that prevents engine and road noise
from entering passenger area

Engine Locations, Drivelines

Longitudinal engine mounts to crankshaft
centerline front-to-rear
Used by front-engine RWD vehicles

Transverse engine mounts sideways in engine

compartment, its crankshaft centerline extends
toward right and left
Front-engine, front-wheel drive (FWD) has both
engine and transaxle in front
Constant velocity (CV) axles extend out from
transaxle to power front wheels

Engine Locations, Drivelines

(continued)
Front-engine, rear-wheel drive (RWD) has engine in
front and drive axel in rear
Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive (RRD) has engine in
back
Transaxle transfers power to rear drive wheels

Mid-engine, rear-wheel drive (MRD) has engine

behind front seat
All-wheel drive uses two differentials for all wheels
Four-wheel drive uses a transfer case to send
power to two differentials and all wheels

Vehicle Sizes
Compact car is smallest body classification
Normally uses a 4-cynlinder engine
Lightweight, gets the highest gas mileage

Intermediate car is medium in size

Uses a 4-, 6- or 8-cylinder engine
Usually has a unibody construction

Full-size car is large, heavy and often has a high

performance V8 engine
Either unibody or body-over-frame construction

Roof Designs
Sedan is a body design with a center pillar that
supports roof
Hardtop does not have a center pillar to support
roof
Hatchback has a large third door at back,
commonly found on small compact cars
Convertible has a retractable canvas roof with a
steel tube framework, or a removable hardtop
Station wagon extends roof straight back to rear
of body with a rear hatch or tailgate

Vans and Trucks

Van has a large box-shaped body to increase
interior volume or space
Full-size van normally is front-engine, RWD
Minivan is smaller and often uses front-engine
FWD with unibody construction
Pickup truck normally has a separate cab and
bed, typically with front-engine, RWD

Summary
Vehicle classification relates to construction, size,
shape, number of doors, type of roof, etc.
Three main types of frame construction
Body-over-frame, unibody, and space frame

Vehicle commonly divided into 3 body sections

Front section, or nose section
Center section, or midsection
Rear section, tail section, or rear clip

Vehicle sizes: compact, intermediate, full size