US Patent 6904990 Frame assembly for snowmobile

A snowmobile has a frame assembly. A drive assembly depends from the frame assembly and abuts the terrain. An engine powers the drive assembly. The engine includes an output shaft. A transmiss0n assembly transfers power of the engine to the drive assembly. The transmission assembly includes a transfer shaft driven by the output shaft. The frame assembly has a frame member disposed rearward of the engine. The frame member unitarily forms side sections, a rear section and a bottom section. The transfer shaft transversely extends between the side sections and is journaled by the side sections. The frame member supports the engine in front of the transfer shaft.