This vehicle features a unitized body. The body is welded to the frame. Standard body mounts are not used. The front suspension crossmember supports the following components:
• | The transaxle |
• | The front suspension lower control arms |
The front suspension crossmember is bolted to the body at four locations. In addition, two rubber insulated struts secure the engine to the upper rail of the radiator core support. The radiator core support is a component of the body structure.
Mounting provisions for the front suspension system are shared by the following components:
• | The front suspension crossmember |
• | The engine compartment side panels |
The suspension strut towers must be dimensionally correct in relation to the remainder of the underbody. The strut towers must be correct in order to maintain the specified suspension strut and caster/camber angles.
Since the individual underbody components also contribute directly to the overall strength of the body, use proper welding techniques during repair service operations. Properly seal and rustproof the underbody components whenever body repair operations destroy or damage the original rustproofing. When rustproofing critical underbody components, use a quality air dry primer such as corrosion resistant chromate or an equivalent material. Do not use combination type primer-surfaces.