Frame Rigidity — How Much and Where

Since the truck frame is a structural mechanism, the amount, location, and means of obtaining rigidity becomes a most important engineering problem. This problem constitutes the scope of the paper. The types of cross-members and their attachments to the side rails are covered, and methods of improving frame rigidity and test results of developmental activities are presented. The paper concludes with a review of necessary future investigation of the frame mechanism in order to provide specific answers to the question of “how much” ridigity.