Abstract: In a socket assembly having a housing with a closed end and an open end and an axially slidable and rotatable bearing, a spring washer seated on the axially slidable and rotatable bearing with a protrusion or a recess on the external periphery for engagement with a cooperating recess or protrusion on an inner cavity of the housing to effectively stop movement of spring washer with the axially slidable and rotatable bearing during driving conditions.

Abstract: A boot for a ball socket assembly in an automotive pivoting and/or rotating socket having a flange with one or more thinned sections or gates adjacent a point of attachment to a socket housing that provides an effective seal against contaminants when lubricant is not being added with external pressure and also flexes when exposed to internal pressure allowing contaminated lubricant to escape from the socket. A ring is embedded in the flange with inwardly directed teeth flanking the thinned sections or gates for securing the boot to the socket housing.

Abstract: A tolerance absorbing spacer for controlling manufacturing dimensional tolerance variation in products made with multiple internal components, each requiring unique dimensional tolerance allowance. This component adjusts and compensates for the resulting overall cumulative component height variation within an assembly of components, sometimes referred to as “stack height” by compensating for the maximum to minimum range of possible assembly heights, compressing and yielding under applied external force until all excess internal clearance is removed, except for a small, and desirable remaining clearance. This component yields and becomes essentially fully plastic, to provide the necessary tolerance adjustment feature only after reaching a predetermined, minimum force which exceeds all applied forces the component could reasonably encounter in service use and below which, the tolerance absorbing spacer remains fully rigid.