Body-on-frame: Encyclopedia - Body-on-frame

Body-on-frame

Body-on-frame is an automobile construction technology. Mounting a separate body to a rigid frame which supports the drivetrain was the original method of building automobiles, and its use continues to this day. The original frames were made of wood (commonly ash), but steel ladder frames became common in the 1930s.

In the USA the frequent changes in automobile design made it necessary to use a ladder frame rather than monocoque to make it possible to change the design without having to change the chassis.

Most small passenger vehicles switched to unibody construction in the 1960s, leaving just trucks and large cars using conventional frames. The switch continued for several decades - even SUVs typically use unibody construction today. Body-on-frame remains the preferred construction method for heavy-duty vehicles, especially those which are intended to carry and pull heavy loads.

The Lincoln Town Car dominates the American limousine market because it is the last American luxury car made with body-on-frame, which makes it easy to "stretch."

See also

• Monocoque
• Superleggera
• Spaceframe

Category: Automotive technologies

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Body-on-frame", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki