Abstract: A brake pad having a backing plate and a friction pad, with the friction pad including a particular slot configuration in the friction surface. The friction pad includes a slot with a main body portion and an angled cutout portion. The angled cutout portion includes a radial arc extension that helps form a continuous cooling arc at a portion of a top radius of the peripheral edge of the friction pad. The slot features can help promote desirable airflow patterns while the brake pad is in use.

Abstract: A dust hoot for a moveable joint is provided. The dust boot includes a boot body disposed annularly about an axis and defining an interior cavity. The boot body has a housing opening at a first longitudinal end for attaching to a housing and a shank opening at a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end for sealingly engaging a shank portion of a ball stud of the ball and socket joint assembly. The boot body defines a plurality of longitudinal strengthening portions formed therein and extending longitudinally at an acute angle relative to the axis in a relaxed condition of the dust boot for resisting rotation of the dust boot in response to a rotation of the ball stud and for improving sealing of the dust boot with the shank portion of the ball stud.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing that presents an inner wall which surrounds an open bore. A stud is partially received in the open bore with a bearing interposed between the inner wall and the stud. The bearing has a bearing piece, which is in surface-to-surface contact with the stud, and a preload piece which is elastically compressed to impart a biasing force on the bearing piece, thereby preloading the bearing piece against the stud. The preload piece is in an overmolded engagement with the bearing piece to securely couple these pieces together such that the bearing can be inserted into the open bore of the housing together as a unit. The bearing and preload pieces are made of different materials with different elasticities.

Abstract: A vertical control arm bushing for allowing rotation of a control arm relative to a vehicle frame is provided and includes a housing extending along and annularly disposed about an axis and defining central bore extending axially therethrough. A stud has a pair of diametrically opposing end portions extending along the axis through the central bore of the housing. A pair of dust boots each includes a boot body defining an interior cavity and having a housing opening at a first longitudinal end attached to the housing and a stud opening at a second longitudinal end opposite the first longitudinal end sealingly engaging one of the end portions of the stud. The boot body defines a plurality of longitudinal strengthening portions formed therein for resisting rotation of the dust boot in response to a rotation of the stud and for improving sealing of the dust boot.

Abstract: The ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made as a monolithic piece and has an inner bore. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud that has a semi-spherically curved portion, a cylindrical portion, and a shank portion. The ball socket assembly further includes a backing bearing and an exit bearing. A third bearing is received on the cylindrical portion of the ball stud. The third bearing has a curved outer surface which cooperates with the curved inner surface of at least one of the exit and backing bearings for allowing the ball stud and the bearing to articulate and rotate relative to the housing. The third bearing is also in slidable contact with the cylindrical portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud to more freely rotate relative to the housing about the central axis.

Abstract: The movable joint assembly includes a housing which extends along an axis and has an outer surface and an open interior. A ball stud is partially disposed in the open interior and projects out of the housing. A flexible and elastic boot is sealed against the outer surface of the housing and against the ball stud. A metal insert is at least partially embedded within the boot adjacent an end of the boot for resisting pull out of the boot from the housing. The boot includes a lip which is at least partially spaced axially from the insert and extends radially inwardly and is in an interference fit engagement with the outer surface of the housing for establishing a fluid tight seal of the housing and for maintaining the fluid tight seal in response to injection of a lubricant into the open interior of the housing.

Abstract: The ball joint assembly includes a housing with an inner wall that surrounds an axially extending open bore. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the open bore of the housing, and a shank portion of the ball stud projects out of the open bore. A pair of bearings are disposed in the inner bore of the housing and are interposed between the ball portion and the inner wall. Each bearing has a curved bearing surface which slidably contacts the ball portion for allowing the ball stud and the housing articulate relative before use. Each bearing also has an outer surface that slidably contacts the inner wall. A pair of biasing elements bias the bearings in opposite directions against the ball portion of the ball stud such that the ball stud is movable relative to the housing in the axial direction before use of the assembly.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore which extends along an axis from a first end to an second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore, and with a shank portion of the ball stud projects through the second end. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and has a bearing surface which is in surface-to-surface contact with an outer surface of the ball portion for enabling relative rotation between the housing and the ball stud. The backing bearing also has a lubricant opening which extends therethrough and a plurality of lubricant wells which are spaced around the bearing surface from one another for holding a lubricant. The backing bearing lubricant grooves which are formed into the bearing surface and extend from the lubricant opening to the lubricant wells for filling the lubricant wells with lubricant.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner surface that surrounds an inner bore which extends along a central axis. An elastomeric boot extends between first and second boot ends and is sealed with the housing and a shank portion of the stud. The first boot end is received in the inner bore of the housing. An insert, which is fabricated as a separate piece from the boot, is received in the inner bore of the housing. The insert has an outer periphery which presents a plurality of radial teeth that are spaced from one another in a circumferential direction. The teeth are angled at an acute angle relative to the central axis and compress portions of the elastomeric material of the first boot end of the boot to improve the seal between the first boot end of the boot and the inner surface of the housing.

Abstract: The pivot joint assembly includes a housing with an inner wall that surrounds an inner bore which extends along a central axis. A stud is partially received in the inner bore, projects out of one axial end of the housing and is rotatable relative to the housing about the central axis. A sealing body, which is made of a single piece of a semi-rigid material, is in a static sealing condition with the housing and is in a dynamic sealing condition with the stud. The sealing body includes a portion which extends at an acute angle relative to the central axis to contact the stud such that the portion is deflectable to allow lubricant to escape the inner bore during greasing.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore that extends from a closed end to an open end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A shank portion projects through the open end. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and is movable in a radial direction relative to the housing. The backing bearing presents a first bearing surface which is in sliding contact with the ball portion. A radial ring with an annular shape is also disposed in the inner bore of the housing and presents a second bearing surface which is in sliding contact with an equator of the ball portion. An exit bearing is in the inner bore, and the exit bearing has a curved third bearing surface that is in sliding contact with an opposite hemisphere of the ball portion from the first bearing surface.

Abstract: The moveable socket assembly which includes a housing that has an inner bore. A stud projects out of the inner bore of the housing, and the stud has a shank portion which is at least partially disposed outside of the inner bore. A boot with a flexible body and an adapter is also provided to seal the housing with the stud. The flexible body and the adapter of the boot are made as separate pieces from one another, and the flexible body extends from a first end portion that is sealed with the housing to a second end portion. The adapter is interposed between the second end portion of the flexible body and the shank portion of the stud, and the adapter holds the second end portion in a predetermined location relative to the shank portion.

Abstract: The ball socket assembly includes a housing with an open interior which extends along an axis. A bearing is disposed in the open interior of the housing and has a curved primary contact surface which surrounds the axis and surrounds a stud ball opening. A stud ball is disposed in the opening and is in sliding contact with the primary contact surface for allowing rotation of the stud ball relative to the bearing. The stud ball has an equator and is in sliding contact with the bearing on both sides of the equator. A stud is operably connected with the stud ball. A shoe is further provided and has a pair of supplemental contact surfaces that are biased against the stud ball. The shoe provides the stud with a predetermined rotational torque and also adjusts for wear in the assembly to maintain the performance of the socket assembly.

Abstract: The socket assembly has a housing with an inner bore which extends from a first end to a second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is received in the inner bore. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and presents a curved bearing surface in surface-to-surface contact with the ball portion. A first spring biases the backing bearing against the ball portion. The socket assembly also includes an exit bearing with a cylindrical portion that is in contact with an equator of the ball portion and a semi-spherical portion that is in surface-to-surface contact with an opposite hemisphere from the first bearing surface. A second spring biases the exit bearing into a predetermined location established by the housing. The exit bearing is movable from the predetermined location in a direction towards the second end of the housing against a biasing force of the second spring.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes housing with an inner bore which extends along a central axis from a closed first end to an open second end. A ball portion of a ball stud is disposed in the inner bore of the housing, and a shank portion of the ball stud projects out of the housing through the open second end. A backing bearing is disposed in the inner bore and slidably supports the ball portion of the ball stud. A roller bearing or a pair of thrust washers is disposed in the inner bore of the housing and operatively supports the backing bearing to allow low friction rotation of the backing bearing relative to the housing.

Abstract: The improved dust boot includes a dust boot body which is made as one integral piece of an elastomeric material and extends from a first end portion to a second end portion. The second end portion of the dust boot body includes a first sealing portion and a second sealing portion which is spaced from the first sealing portion. The first sealing portion includes a plurality of ribs that are spaced circumferentially from one another by a plurality of grooves and includes a plurality of relief valves that are located in the grooves and extend away from the first end portion for allowing a lubricant to pass the first sealing portion in one direction and for restricting the passage of contaminants past the sealing portion in an opposite direction.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore and a stud with a first portion and a shank portion. The first portion is disposed in the inner bore of the housing, and the shank portion extends out of the inner bore. The socket assembly further includes a boot with a boot body that extends from a first boot end to a second boot end. The first boot end is received in the inner bore of the housing and is operatively sealed with the housing. The second boot end is operatively sealed with the ball stud. The boot further includes an insert that is in an overmolding engagement with the first boot end. The insert has a plurality of raised sections and a plurality of recessed sections and has a plurality of vertical sections that interconnect adjacent ones of the raised and recessed sections.

Abstract: The ball joint assembly includes a housing that has an inner wall which surrounds an open bore that extends along a central axis. The ball joint assembly further includes a ball stud with a ball portion that is received in the open bore of the housing and with a shank portion that projects out of the open bore through an open end of the housing. At least one bearing is also disposed in the open bore. The at least one bearing has a curved bearing surface which is in slidable contact with the ball portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud and the housing to rotate and articulate relative to one another. The bearing is made as a single, monolithic piece of nylon 4/6.

Abstract: A ball joint assembly includes a ball stud, a cylindrical bearing, a housing and a retainer. The bearing has an upper end, a lower end, a exterior sidewall, an upper flange located between the upper end and a ring groove formed in the exterior sidewall, a lower flange proximate the lower end and extending outwardly and a socket cavity that opens toward the lower end. A ball portion of the ball stud is retained within the socket cavity. The bearing is secured within a bore within the housing by virtue of the working of the lower flange and the upper flange and retainer located in the ring groove. The ball joint assembly is able to resist a pull-out force of up to 1200 lbs. It may also be sealed by incorporation of a dust boot which extends between the housing and a stud portion of the ball stud.

Abstract: The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore that extends from a wall at a closed end to an open end. A ball stud is received in the inner bore, and a shank portion of the ball stud projects out through the open end. A backing bearing is movably disposed in the inner bore. The backing bearing presents a bearing surface which is in sliding contact with a ball portion of the ball stud. An exit bearing is locked into a fixed position within the inner bore and has another bearing surface which is in sliding contact with the ball portion. A spring is positioned between the wall and the backing bearing and imparts a preload force against the backing bearing. The wall is deformed to preload the spring against the backing bearing and reduce clearances between components in the socket assembly.