Jeep Patriots New and Improved Impact Performance Body

By: Lisa Ziegler

Jeep has given car buyers with lots of reasons to buy the Patriot. Aside from the surprising low price of this compact SUV; Jeep has also made sure to equip it with a few surprises that will surely make would-be owners of the Patriot jump for joy.

The Jeep Patriot's body is an amazing piece of work with its combined structural components which makes the Patriot a safety cage for occupants especially in the event of an impact. 40 percent of the Patriot's body structure is made from best quality and hot-stamped steel, which makes this compact SUV one of the currently produced vehicles to feature a combination of high-level advanced steel technologies.

According to Matt Liddane, Chief Engineer, Jeep Patriot, "The higher weight-to-strength ratio of high-strength steel allowed us to develop a body-in-white safety cage that keeps occupants safe, but without the added weight of regular steel. Hot-stamped steel used on the A and B pillar and roof-rail reinforcements reduce Patriot's overall weight by 44 lbs."

To maximize energy absorption, the Jeep Patriot's tailor-rolled, hot-stamped steel two piece B-pillar construction features a lower section made from mild-strength steel. This is combined with a tailor-rolled, ultra-high strength upper portion for enhanced occupant protection.

The Jeep Patriot also features a rear-occupant side-impact protection which is also made from a hot-stamped steel cross-car beam that is firmly bolted to the body structure underneath the rear seat. In case of side impacts, the beam works in combination with the integrated foam in the rear doors in transferring the impact from one side of the vehicle to the other. The beam is also designed to hold as much as 60 percent of the load especially in cases of side impacts. The steel beams located at the front and rear doors provide extra side impact protection.

The Patriot also featured a hydroformed front closure and upper cross member which have been previously associated with trucks and large sport utility vehicles or SUVs. But due to technological advances the used of hydroformed has been applied to smaller diameter tubes and thinner walls, making them practically suitable for a compact SUV like the Jeep Patriot. The strength and durability of this design reduces weight while creating a flexible base suitable for mounting many parts and components.

In addition the dual phase steel employed for the front and rear tails, , tunnel reinforcements and floor cross members of the Jeep Patriot represents some of the steel industry's latest technology. The structure and steel support combines to protect the occupants in the event of high-speed front impact. The dual-phase steel tunnel reinforcements together with the floor cross members, enables the rails to handle greater impact loads compared to any conventional steel. Aside from that, the steel structure makes the Jeep Patriot more robust for a better riding quality and a noise-free interior.

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