2003 Saturn Ion
Description and Operation
General Body Construction (Unibody)
Description
This information pertains to unitized body construction.
The engine and transaxle, front suspension control
arms, and rack and pinion steering are supported by
the engine frame which is bolted to the vehicle at
six locations. Each mounting location is cushioned by
a thick rubber insulator. These insulators are
specifically designed for each location to give the
proper amount of structural strength while providing
maximum road noise isolation. Different insulators are
used at the various frame-to-body attaching points
to change ride and handling characteristics of
the vehicle.
Mounting provisions for the front suspension system
are also shared by the body components through
the suspension strut towers. The towers must
be dimensionally correct in relation to the underbody
to maintain proper suspension geometry.
With unitized body construction, underbody
components must be properly aligned to assure
correct suspension location. In case of collision
damage, it is important that the body dimensions be
checked thoroughly, and if necessary, realigned
in order to accurately establish proper dimensions.
Since the individual underbody components also
contribute directly to the overall strength of the body, it
is essential that the proper welding techniques be
observed during service repair operations. The
underbody components should be properly sealed and
rustproofed whenever body repair operations destroy
or damage the original sealing and rustproofing. When
rustproofing critical underbody components, it is
essential to use a quality air dry primer such as
corrosion-resistant chromate or equivalent material.
Combination type primer-surfacers are not
recommended.
Door Frame Description
The side door frame openings feature a unique
modular build sub-assembly design in order to improve
manufacturing quality. The openings are composed
of numerous individual components that are
pre-assembled and attached to the vehicle as a
single unit.
You may replace the door frame as a complete unit.
Various segments of the door frame may be sectioned,
which is usually much faster and more cost effective.
A front and rear half also are available for complete
or sectioning procedures. There are some key
structural areas where sectioning should not take
place. Service parts for sectioning must be cut from
the service assembly and modified as necessary.
2003 Saturn Ion
3-1
2003 Saturn Ion
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