Abstract: A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.

Abstract: A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.

Abstract: A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.

Abstract: A cradle assembly for housing and supporting a motor and a gearbox of an electric axle assembly. The cradle assembly has generally an “open air” design which provides a space for a motor and/or gearbox to be positioned within a pre-assembled cradle assembly and allows for easy access to the motor and gearbox for maintenance. The cradle assembly includes two end caps, a plurality of tube portions connecting the end caps and a plurality of motor mounts for supporting the motor and gearbox.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ball joint for use in interconnecting a pair of components to accommodate relative angular movement therebetween. The ball joint includes a socket assembly and a hybrid ball stud. The socket assembly includes a cup-shaped housing defining a cavity therein and an insert disposed within the housing cavity and which defines a spherical ball socket. The hybrid ball stud includes a standard bolt and a polymeric insert attached to, or encapsulating, the head of the bolt to define a spherical ball or a partial spherical ball. The polymeric insert is adapted to be retained in the ball socket. The bolt is a high-volume commercially-available component having a threaded shank segment and a head segment which is over-molded or fitted with the polymeric insert. As such, an inexpensive hybrid ball stud is provided for use in ball joints.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ball joint for use in interconnecting a pair of components to accommodate relative angular movement therebetween. The ball joint includes a socket assembly and a hybrid ball stud. The socket assembly includes a cup-shaped housing defining a cavity therein and an insert disposed within the housing cavity and which defines a spherical ball socket. The hybrid ball stud includes a standard bolt and a polymeric insert attached to, or encapsulating, the head of the bolt to define a spherical ball or a partial spherical ball. The polymeric insert is adapted to be retained in the ball socket. The bolt is a high-volume commercially-available component having a threaded shank segment and a head segment which is over-molded or fitted with the polymeric insert. As such, an inexpensive hybrid ball stud is provided for use in ball joints.

Abstract: The present invention provides a ball joint for use in interconnecting a pair of components to accommodate relative angular movement therebetween. The ball joint includes a socket assembly and a hybrid ball stud. The socket assembly includes a cup-shaped housing defining a cavity therein and an insert disposed within the housing cavity and which defines a spherical ball socket. The hybrid ball stud includes a standard bolt and a polymeric insert attached to, or encapsulating, the head of the bolt to define a spherical ball or a partial spherical ball. The polymeric insert is adapted to be retained in the ball socket. The bolt is a high-volume commercially-available component having a threaded shank segment and a head segment which is over-molded or fitted with the polymeric insert. As such, an inexpensive hybrid ball stud is provided for use in ball joints.

Abstract: A preloaded pivot joint has a threaded ball seat that is screwed into an open end of the joint housing to adjust the axial load on the ball stud and consequent torque characteristics. The adjusted position of the ball seat is then maintained by swaging the joint housing inwardly to engage a hexagonal portion of the ball seat that is used to screw the ball seat into the housing.

Abstract: An automotive vehicle has a parallelogram type steering linkage that includes two adjustable tie rod assemblies. Each adjustable tie rod assembly comprises a tie rod and a right angled ball joint at each end of the tie rod for connecting the tie rod assembly in the steering linkage system. The tie rod has a threaded end that is screwed into an internally threaded portion of the housing of the ball joint at the outboard end of the tie rod. The threaded end of the tie rod carries a jam nut that is tightened against the housing to maintain the depth of the threaded end of the tie rod in the internally threaded portion of the housing. The inboard end of the tie rod has a cylindrical head. The cylindrical head is rotatably fit and axially captured in a cylindrical bore of the housing of the ball joint at the inboard end of the tie rod. The tie rod has a median section of hexagonal shape for rotating the tie rod.