A vehicle includes a body structure having an occupant compartment, and a frame structure having a chassis. The body structure and the frame structure are fastened together using a plurality of fasteners and an adhesive. To illustrate, the plurality of fasteners may include 20, 50, 70, or more fasteners. The adhesive is arranged at one or more positions along the interface between the body structure to the frame structure. The plurality of fasteners extend beyond the wheel wells, and provide hard mounts between the body structure and frame structure. The adhesive helps to prevent stress concentrations by extending the locations of load transfer between the body structure and the frame structure. Body panels are added before or after the body structure is affixed to the frame structure.

A riding lawn care vehicle may include a frame to which wheels of the riding lawn care vehicle are attachable, a seat from which an operator of the riding lawn care vehicle is enabled to access steering controls for the riding lawn care vehicle, a seat mounting structure to which the seat is mounted, an isolation assembly providing vibration isolation between the frame and the seat mounting structure, and a hinge assembly configured to enable the seat to be pivoted via the seat mounting structure from an operating position to a pivoted position in which an area under the seat is exposed or accessible. The hinge assembly and at least a portion of the isolation assembly may be integrated to isolate the seat from vibrations at the frame.

An assembly for releasably engaging an upper vehicle part with a base vehicle part comprises the upper vehicle part, the base vehicle part and a securing assembly for ensuring that the upper vehicle part is secured to the base vehicle part in an operational state of the vehicle. The securing assembly comprises an inter-connecting member adapted to extend from the upper vehicle part to the base vehicle part in said operational state, said inter-connecting member having a body portion and a projecting portion defining an abutment surface. The securing assembly further comprises a releasable fixation support having a recess adapted to accommodate a part of the body portion, wherein another part of the releasable fixation support is capable of restricting displacement of said inter-connecting member in a direction towards said upper part vehicle by engaging with said abutment surface of said projecting portion in said operational state.

An assembly for releasably engaging an upper vehicle part with a base vehicle part comprises the upper vehicle part, the base vehicle part and a securing assembly for ensuring that the upper vehicle part is secured to the base vehicle part in an operational state of the vehicle. The securing assembly comprises an inter-connecting member adapted to extend from the upper vehicle part to the base vehicle part in said operational state, said inter-connecting member having a body portion and a projecting portion defining an abutment surface. The securing assembly further comprises a releasable fixation support having a recess adapted to accommodate a part of the body portion, wherein another part of the releasable fixation support is capable of restricting displacement of said inter-connecting member in a direction towards said upper part vehicle by engaging with said abutment surface of said projecting portion in said operational state.

A first body cross-member is disposed on body mounts and fixed to the body mounts through outer brackets and mount bolts that are fastening members. A battery and a cooling blower that is a battery accessory provided on an outer side of the battery in a vehicle width direction are installed on a vehicle body, between a pair of rockers. The rockers have a closed cross-sectional structure, and a brace that is a reinforcing member is housed in a battery flanking portion of each rocker that is a portion corresponding to the cooling blower in position in a vehicle front-rear direction.

An over-the-road vehicle. The vehicle comprises a chassis, and an envelope supported on the chassis. The envelope comprises a first continuous sheet of material folded over to form a front wall, a back wall, an overhead panel, and at least a portion of a floor panel. The envelope also includes a second continuous sheet of material forming a left side panel, and a third continuous sheet of material forming a right side panel. The left side panel is thermoplastically welded onto the first sheet of material on a left side of the chassis. Similarly, the right side panel is thermoplastically welded onto the first sheet of material on a right side of the chassis. The floor panel is connected to the chassis. Each of the first, second, and third sheets of material is fabricated from at least one malleable fiberglass sheet and a thermoplastic core, which may be precision bent and cut to specifications. A method of fabricating an envelope is also provided herein.

A secondary retention device includes a bolt inserted through a cab floor and a modular saddle mount. A nut and the bolt retain the cab floor and the modular saddle mount together. A first alternative includes a yoke extending upward from the modular saddle mount, an extension plate extending downward from a bottom of the cab floor and a lock pin. A second alternative includes a bent over edge of the cab floor, a bent-up edge of the modular saddle mount and the lock pin. A third alternative includes a retention plate extending downward from the cab floor, a slot opening formed through a modular saddle mount to receive the retention plate and a fastener. A fourth alternative includes a curved tab extending upward from a modular saddle mount and a slot opening formed through the cab floor to receive the curved tab.