Side-by-side diesel utility vehicle

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• and
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and having an upper frame assembly and a lower frame assembly, the lower frame assembly defining a front end of the utility vehicle and a rear end of the utility vehicle, and the lower frame assembly including at least:
• a front portion;
• an intermediate portion rearward of the front portion;
• a rear portion rearward of the intermediate portion;
• and
• a shear panel supported by the front portion and including an upper portion having an upper end and a lower portion having a lower end which is angled downwardly and rearward from the upper end, the shear panel being configured to deflect heat from the front portion of the lower frame assembly away from the intermediate portion of the lower frame assembly, and the front portion including a plurality of upper front frame members extending between the front end and the intermediate portion and a plurality of lower front frame members extending from the front portion toward the rear portion, the shear panel being coupled to the upper and lower front frame members and being configured to increase the stiffness of the frame.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion, and the frame includes an upper frame assembly and a lower frame assembly coupled to the upper frame assembly and defining the front frame portion and the rear frame portion;
• an engine supported by the frame;
• an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and a passenger seat;
• a shear panel positioned forward of the operator area and being coupled to the front frame portion, and the shear panel is coupled to the lower frame assembly, and the lower frame assembly includes a plurality of lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members and a longitudinally-extending skid plate coupled to the plurality of lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members, and the shear panel is coupled to at least one of the lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members;
• and
• a heating, ventilation, and air condition (“HVAC”) system supported by the frame and positioned rearward of the shear panel.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• and
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and having an upper frame assembly and a lower frame assembly, the lower frame assembly defining a front end of the utility vehicle and a rear end of the utility vehicle, and the lower frame assembly including at least:
• a front portion;
• an intermediate portion rearward of the front portion;
• a rear portion rearward of the intermediate portion;
• a tunnel member extending rearward from the front portion of the lower frame assembly and is configured to support a plurality of conduits configured to transmit at least one of a fluid and an electrical signal between the front portion and the rear portion of the lower frame assembly, and the shear panel includes an opening for receiving a portion of the tunnel member and the plurality of conduits;
• and
• a shear panel supported by the front portion and the tunnel member is coupled to the shear panel, the front portion including a plurality of upper front frame members extending between the front end and the intermediate portion and a plurality of lower front frame members extending from the front portion toward the rear portion, the shear panel being coupled to the upper and lower front frame members and being configured to increase the stiffness of the frame.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including an upper frame assembly and a lower frame assembly coupled to the upper frame assembly and defining a front frame portion and a rear frame portion;
• an engine supported by the frame;
• an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and a passenger seat;
• a shear panel positioned forward of the operator area and being coupled to the front frame portion of the lower frame assembly;
• and
• a heating, ventilation, and air condition (“HVAC”) system supported by the frame and positioned rearward of the shear panel, wherein the lower frame assembly includes a plurality of lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members and a longitudinally-extending skid plate coupled to the plurality of lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members, and the shear panel is coupled to at least one of the lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• and
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and having an upper frame assembly and a lower frame assembly, the lower frame assembly defining a front end of the utility vehicle and a rear end of the utility vehicle, and the lower frame assembly including at least:
• a front portion;
• an intermediate portion rearward of the front portion;
• a rear portion rearward of the intermediate portion;
• and
• a shear panel supported by the front portion, the front portion including a plurality of upper front frame members extending between the front end and the intermediate portion and a plurality of lower front frame members extending from the front portion toward the rear portion, the shear panel being coupled to the upper and lower front frame members and being configured to increase the stiffness of the frame, and the shear panel is angled downwardly and deflects heat from the front portion of the lower frame assembly away from the intermediate portion of the lower frame assembly, wherein a lower end of the shear panel is angled downwardly and rearwardly from an upper end of the shear panel.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion and a rear frame portion;
• an engine supported by the frame;
• an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and a passenger seat each having a seat bottom;
• a shear panel positioned forward of the operator area and being coupled to the front frame portion, and the shear panel extending below the seat bottom of the operator seat;
• and
• a heating, ventilation, and air condition (“HVAC”) system supported by the frame and positioned rearward of the shear panel,
• wherein the frame includes a tunnel member defining a lower portion of the frame and extending rearwardly from the shear panel, the tunnel member including an upper channel and a lower channel.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• and
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and having an upper frame assembly and a lower frame assembly, the lower frame assembly defining a front end of the utility vehicle and a rear end of the utility vehicle, and the lower frame assembly including at least:
• a front portion;
• an intermediate portion rearward of the front portion;
• a rear portion rearward of the intermediate portion;
• a shear panel supported by the front portion and including an upper portion and a lower portion which is positioned rearward of the upper portion, the front portion including a plurality of upper front frame members extending between the front end and the intermediate portion and a plurality of lower front frame members extending from the front portion toward the rear portion, the shear panel being coupled to the upper and lower front frame members and being configured to increase the stiffness of the frame;
• and
• a tunnel member extending rearward from the front portion of the lower frame assembly, the tunnel member being coupled to the shear panel.

A utility vehicle, comprising:

• a plurality of ground engaging members;
• a frame supported by the ground engaging members and including a front frame portion, a rear frame portion, an upper frame assembly, and a lower frame assembly coupled to the upper frame assembly and defining the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, and the lower frame assembly includes a plurality of lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members and a longitudinally-extending skid plate coupled to the plurality of lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members;
• an engine supported by the frame;
• an operator area supported by the frame and including an operator seat and a passenger seat each having a seat bottom;
• a shear panel positioned forward of the operator area and being coupled to the front frame portion, and the shear panel extending below the seat bottom of the operator seat;
• and
• a heating, ventilation, and air condition (“HVAC”) system supported by the frame and positioned rearward of the shear panel,
• wherein the shear panel is coupled to at least one of the lowermost longitudinally-extending frame members of the lower frame assembly.