Abstract: A vehicle assembling method includes the steps of assembling a lower body shell a including underbody portion having a front floor and front body portion, assembling an upper body shell, including a roof member and right and left body side panels, and assembling the upper body shell and the lower body shell, moving rearward the lower body shell relative to the upper body shell, and engaging transverse opposite side ends of the lower body shell with lower end portions of the upper body shell to join the lower body shell with the upper body shell. The under body portion can be readily joined with the upper body shell, improving the workability of the joining operation. The structure of joint portion thereof can be simplified with a desirable sealing.

Abstract: An operation apparatus for a vehicle automatic transmission mechanism includes an actuator for driving a hydraulic valve for switching a travel range of an automatic transmission mechanism, a control unit for controlling the actuator, and a transmission operation unit for outputting a range switching instruction to the control unit. In the preferred embodiment, the transmission operation unit includes a stroke contact type operation switch suitably mounted on a side surface of a steering column so that at least forward vehicle travel ranges can be switched by only a stretched finger of the hand of a vehicle driver who continues to maintain his grip on the steering wheel with the same hand. The operation switch can include either a rotary switch or slide switch mounted on the steering column.

Abstract: A vehicle door mounting system mounts a door on a vehicle body by bringing a hinge member on the door into engagement with a hinge member on the vehicle body and inserting a hinge pin into hinge pin holes of the hinge members. The mounting system has a robot, and a door holding jig and a hinge pin inserting jig which are mounted on the robot. The robot is arranged so that it brings the door to a predetermined position with respect to the vehicle body where the hinge member on the door is engaged with the hinge member on the vehicle body while the door holding jig holds the door. The hinge pin inserting jig is separable from the door holding jig and is moved between an operative position where it inserts the hinge pin into the hinge pin holes and a hinge pin setting position where the hinge pin is set to the hinge pin inserting jig.

Abstract: An automobile assembling apparatus is provided to provisionally assemble a set of front and rear drive system assemblies, each having at least a suspension system with a damper unit dangling thereon, to a vehicle body prior to rigidly securing, and thereby setting up, the front and rear drive system assemblies and vehicle body into one unit with fasteners in an automobile assembling line and comprises a carrier pallet for carrying the set of front and rear drive system assemblies placed thereon in position, a conveyor for conveying the front and rear drive system assemblies on the carrier pallet to a provisional assembling station wherre front and rear drive system assemblies are provisionally assembled to vehicle bodies, an overhead conveyor for conveying the vehicle body above the provisional assembling station and lowering it on the front and rear drive system assemblies to provisionally assemble the front and rear drive system assemblies to the vehicle body, and a holding device installed at the provision

Abstract: An apparatus for assembling a wheel attaching unit for use in a vehicle assembly line having a pallet capable of mounting at predetermined positions thereof a front assembly including a front wheel attaching unit and a rear assembly including a rear wheel attaching unit; a pallet conveyor for conveying the pallet through a setting area and a securing area of the front and rear units and a body; and a body conveyor for conveying the body to a position above the setting area and for lowering the body to set the front and rear assemblies to the body. The pallet includes a holding portion for the front assembly and/or a holding portion for the rear assembly with the holding portion being position adjustable in forward and rearward directions thereof.

Abstract: In order to check four-wheel steering characteristics of a four-wheeled vehicle provided with a four-wheel steering system in which both the front wheels and the rear wheels are turned in response to operation of the steering wheel according to preset four-wheel steering characteristics, the steering wheel is turned to turn the front wheels and the rear wheels, and the actual turning angle of the front wheels and the actual turning angle of the rear wheels are measured, thereby detecting the actual relation between the turning angles of the front and rear wheels. Whether the actual four-wheel steering characteristics of the vehicle deviates from the preset four-wheel steering characteristics is determined through comparison of the actual relation between the turning angles of the front and rear wheels with the preset four-wheel steering characteristics.