Abstract: A socket assembly includes a housing having an inner bore extending along a central axis between a closed first end and an open second end. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner bore, wherein the at least one bearing has a bearing surface and a support surface opposite the bearing surface. The socket assembly also includes a ball stud having a shank portion extending outwardly from the housing through the open second end and a ball portion disposed in the inner bore. At least one preload washer biases the at least one bearing into engagement with the ball portion of the ball stud. The at least one preload washer has an outer coating of a low friction, heat insulating material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension component includes inserting a cover body into an aperture of a housing, the cover body being disposed about a central axis concentric with the aperture of the housing, the cover body having a convex side and a concave side and an outer perimeter disposed about the central axis, the cover body defining a threaded bore concentric with the central axis, and deforming the cover body into retaining engagement with the housing by pressing against the convex side until the cover body is at least partial deformed and the outer perimeter is expanded compared to a pre-deformed state of the cover body.

Abstract: The ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made of a monolithic piece which includes a lower wall. A ball portion of a ball stud is disposed in an inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing, which is made of a polymeric material, is disposed in the inner bore and is in slidable contact with at least one hemisphere of the ball portion. The exit bearing has an upper surface which faces towards an open end of the housing. A cover plate is in direct contact with the upper surface of the exit bearing along a surface-to-surface contact area. The surface-to-surface contact area is angled towards the open end from its radially outermost end to its radially innermost end for supporting the exit bearing against radial expansion in response to axial loads being applied on the exit bearing from the ball portion of the ball stud.

Abstract: A ball joint includes a cover plate with a nested portion along an outer perimeter having a nested portion thickness, a domed portion located radially inward of the outer perimeter having a domed portion thickness, and a pressed portion located between the nested portion and the domed portion having a pressed portion thickness. The pressed portion thickness is less than the domed portion thickness, which during manufacture, is formed when the cover plate and bearing are simultaneously pressed into their final form and position. A tool can be used to press the cover plate and bearing in a single operation. The tool can have interchangeable components, allowing for the manufacture of differently sized ball joints.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension component includes inserting a cover body into an aperture of a housing, the cover body being disposed about a central axis concentric with the aperture of the housing, the cover body having a convex side and a concave side and an outer perimeter disposed about the central axis, the cover body defining a threaded bore concentric with the central axis, and deforming the cover body into retaining engagement with the housing by pressing against the convex side until the cover body is at least partial deformed and the outer perimeter is expanded compared to a pre-deformed state of the cover body.

Abstract: A ball joint includes a cover plate with a nested portion along an outer perimeter having a nested portion thickness, a domed portion located radially inward of the outer perimeter having a domed portion thickness, and a pressed portion located between the nested portion and the domed portion having a pressed portion thickness. The pressed portion thickness is less than the domed portion thickness, which during manufacture, is formed when the cover plate and bearing are simultaneously pressed into their final form and position. A tool can be used to press the cover plate and bearing in a single operation. The tool can have interchangeable components, allowing for the manufacture of differently sized ball joints.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension component includes inserting a cover body into an aperture of a housing, the cover body being disposed about a central axis concentric with the aperture of the housing, the cover body having a convex side and a concave side and an outer perimeter disposed about the central axis, the cover body defining a threaded bore concentric with the central axis, and deforming the cover body into retaining engagement with the housing by pressing against the convex side until the cover body is at least partial deformed and the outer perimeter is expanded compared to a pre-deformed state of the cover body.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a vehicle suspension component includes inserting a cover body into an aperture of a housing, the cover body being disposed about a central axis concentric with the aperture of the housing, the cover body having a convex side and a concave side and an outer perimeter disposed about the central axis, the cover body defining a threaded bore concentric with the central axis, and deforming the cover body into retaining engagement with the housing by pressing against the convex side until the cover body is at least partial deformed and the outer perimeter is expanded compared to a pre-deformed state of the cover body.

Abstract: A ball socket assembly and method of construction thereof is provided. The ball socket assembly includes a housing having an inner surface surrounding an inner bore. The inner bore extends from an open first end to an open second end. A groove extends into the inner surface adjacent the second end. A ball stud having a ball portion is disposed in the inner bore with a shank portion of the ball stud extending through the open first end. A cover plate assembly is fixed to the housing. An outer piece of the cover plate assembly has an outer periphery and a through opening. The outer periphery is fixed in the groove. An inner piece of the cover plate assembly is fixed in the through opening. The inner piece includes an opening configured for receipt of a lubricant fitting.

Abstract: A sway bar linkage assembly includes a socket joint, a shank extending from the socket joint, a bolt, and a bushing. The shank has a first bore with a first bore diameter and a second bore extending between the first bore and the socket joint. The second bore has a second bore diameter less than the first bore diameter such that a flange extends between the first bore and the second bore. The bolt has a head, a shaft extending from the head and a stud extending between the shaft is included. The shaft has a first diameter and the stud has second diameter less than the first diameter such that a ledge extends between the shaft and the stud. The bushing is compressed a predefined by the bolt when the bolt extends through the bushing and the ledge of the bolt abuts against the flange of the shank.

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: A sway bar linkage assembly includes a socket joint, a shank extending from the socket joint, a bolt, and a bushing. The shank has a first bore with a first bore diameter and a second bore extending between the first bore and the socket joint. The second bore has a second bore diameter less than the first bore diameter such that a flange extends between the first bore and the second bore. The bolt has a head, a shaft extending from the head and a stud extending between the shaft is included. The shaft has a first diameter and the stud has second diameter less than the first diameter such that a ledge extends between the shaft and the stud. The bushing is compressed a predefined by the bolt when the bolt extends through the bushing and the ledge of the bolt abuts against the flange of the shank.

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: A socket assembly includes a housing having an inner bore extending along a central axis between a closed first end and an open second end. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner bore, wherein the at least one bearing has a bearing surface and a support surface opposite the bearing surface. The socket assembly also includes a ball stud having a shank portion extending outwardly from the housing through the open second end and a ball portion disposed in the inner bore. At least one preload washer biases the at least one bearing into engagement with the ball portion of the ball stud. The at least one preload washer has an outer coating of a low friction, heat insulating material.

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: A ball socket assembly and method of construction thereof is provided. The ball socket assembly includes a housing having an inner surface surrounding an inner bore. The inner bore extends from an open first end to an open second end. A groove extends into the inner surface adjacent the second end. A ball stud having a ball portion is disposed in the inner bore with a shank portion of the ball stud extending through the open first end. A cover plate assembly is fixed to the housing. An outer piece of the cover plate assembly has an outer periphery and a through opening. The outer periphery is fixed in the groove. An inner piece of the cover plate assembly is fixed in the through opening. The inner piece includes an opening configured for receipt of a lubricant fitting.

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 ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made of a monolithic piece which includes a lower wall. A ball portion of a ball stud is disposed in an inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing, which is made of a polymeric material, is disposed in the inner bore and is in slidable contact with at least one hemisphere of the ball portion. The exit bearing has an upper surface which faces towards an open end of the housing. A cover plate is in direct contact with the upper surface of the exit bearing along a surface-to-surface contact area. The surface-to-surface contact area is angled towards the open end from its radially outermost end to its radially innermost end for supporting the exit bearing against radial expansion in response to axial loads being applied on the exit bearing from the ball portion of the ball stud.

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.