Abstract: One aspect of the present invention is related to a ball socket assembly that includes a housing with an inner bore and at least one open end. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud which is partially received in the inner bore of the housing. An exit bearing supports the ball stud and is positioned in the inner bore adjacent the at least one open end. The exit bearing includes a plastic piece and a metal piece which are connected with one another. The metal piece has a semi-conical shape. The housing is deformed adjacent the at least one open end to capture the exit bearing within the inner bore. In operation, the metal piece reinforces the plastic piece to transfer forces between the ball stud and the housing.

Abstract: The ball socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore, and a bearing is received in the inner bore. The bearing is made as a monolithic piece of a plastic material and has a curved bearing surface which surrounds a ball cavity. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud with a ball portion and a shank portion. The ball portion is received in the ball cavity of the bearing and has an equator. The curved bearing surface of the bearing is in slidable contact with the ball portion on opposite axial sides of the equator. The plastic material of the bearing comprises 8-12 mass percent polytetrafluoroethylene, 2-6 mass percent carbon fibers, and the remainder acetal.

Abstract: The ball socket assembly includes a housing which has at least one open end and an inner bore that extends along a central axis. The ball socket assembly further includes a ball stud that has a ball portion and a shank portion. The ball portion is disposed in the inner bore of the housing, and the shank portion extends out of the inner bore through the at least one open end. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner, and the at least one bearing has a bearing surface which is in direct contact with the ball portion of the ball stud. The at least one bearing is made of a monolithic piece of a spring-like material and has a single gap and is flexed to preload the at least one bearing against the ball portion.

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: 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: 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 ball socket assembly includes a housing which has at least one open end and an inner bore that extends along a central axis. The ball socket assembly further includes a ball stud that has a ball portion and a shank portion. The ball portion is disposed in the inner bore of the housing, and the shank portion extends out of the inner bore through the at least one open end. At least one bearing is disposed in the inner, and the at least one bearing has a bearing surface which is in direct contact with the ball portion of the ball stud. The at least one bearing is made of a monolithic piece of a spring-like material and has a single gap and is flexed to preload the at least one bearing against the ball portion.

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 ball socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore, and a bearing is received in the inner bore. The bearing is made as a monolithic piece of a plastic material and has a curved bearing surface which surrounds a ball cavity. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud with a ball portion and a shank portion. The ball portion is received in the ball cavity of the bearing and has an equator. The curved bearing surface of the bearing is in slidable contact with the ball portion on opposite axial sides of the equator. The plastic material of the bearing comprises 8-12 mass percent petratetrafluoroethylene, 2-6 mass percent carbon fibers, and the remainder acetal.

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: 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 control arm assembly includes a control arm body and a socket assembly for connecting the control arm body with a vehicle frame. The socket assembly includes a housing with an inner bore which extends along a vertical axis between opposite open ends. A stud extends past the open ends and has an axially extending through passage. The stud has a pair of end portions on opposite sides of a ball portion that has a curved outer surface which is in sliding contact with a bearing surface for allowing the control arm body to pivot relative to the stud and the vehicle frame. The through passage is eccentrically located in a radial direction on the stud for translating the control arm body relative to the vehicle frame in response to rotation of the stud relative to the housing to adjust a camber angle of the wheel assembly.

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 ball joint includes a housing and a stud with a spherical bearing surface disposed in the housing. The bearing has a concave spherical bearing surface which is brought into sliding abutment with the spherical bearing surface of the stud. The bearing is of a monolithic piece of fiber-reinforced polyamide material and includes carbon fibers which extend circumferentially about the concave spherical bearing surface.

Abstract: A control arm for a vehicle suspension is provided. The control arm includes a control arm body having a connector for attachment to a wheel assembly, a horizontal bushing for coupling the control arm with a vehicle frame and a vertical socket for also coupling the control arm with a vehicle frame. The vertical socket has a housing which is press fit into an opening of the control arm body and a stud which extends through the housing for engagement with the vehicle frame. A bearing is positioned within the housing between the housing and the stud. The stud has a rounded outer surface, and the bearing has a rounded inner surface for allowing rotational movement of the bearing and housing relative to the stud. A retainer member is in engagement with the housing and the bearing for retaining the bearing in the inner bore of the housing.

Abstract: A tie rod end includes a stud with a spherical ball at one end and a bearing having a concave spherical bearing running surface for sliding abutment with the ball. The contact area of the ball or the bearing running surface has a lubrication groove to facilitate channeling grease, wherein the grooved member is coated with a bonded lubrication coating. The lubrication coating reduces the initial preload torque from that which would be ordinarily be perceived as undesirable to a torque that is perceived as desirable. The lubrication coating is substantially consumed on the high contact area over about 100 to 500 thousand cycles, with the resulting torque being remaining greater than zero, which is also perceived as being desirable.

Abstract: A ball joint for interconnecting relatively movable components is provided. The ball joint includes a housing and a stud with a spherical bearing surface disposed in the housing. The bearing has a concave spherical bearing surface which is brought into sliding abutment with the spherical bearing surface of the stud. The bearing is of a monolithic piece of fiber-reinforced polyamide material and includes carbon fibers which extend circumferentially about the concave spherical bearing surface.

Abstract: A control arm for a vehicle suspension is provided. The control arm includes a control arm body having a connector for attachment to a wheel assembly, a horizontal bushing for coupling the control arm with a vehicle frame and a vertical socket for also coupling the control arm with a vehicle frame. The vertical socket has a housing which is press fit into an opening of the control arm body and a stud which extends through the housing for engagement with the vehicle frame. A bearing is positioned within the housing between the housing and the stud. The stud has a rounded outer surface, and the bearing has a rounded inner surface for allowing rotational movement of the bearing and housing relative to the stud. A retainer member is in engagement with the housing and the bearing for retaining the bearing in the inner bore of the housing.

Abstract: An improved compression load ball joint assembly consisting of a metal housing having an open end and an internal cylindrical chamber which at least partially encloses a portion of a movable stud member, a lower metal bearing, an upper metal split bearing, and a Belleville washer. The upper metal split bearing is disposed opposite the lower metal bearing to engage the movable stud member and the housing simultaneously. The upper metal split bearing is configured to slide within the housing to provide for a constant wear surface against the movable stud member. The lower metal bearing, upper metal split bearing, Belleville washer, and movable stud member are contained within the housing by a cover plate concentrically disposed about the movable stud member and secured within the open end of the housing.

Abstract: A ball joint assembly for a vehicular steering or suspension application includes a cap-like housing in which is captured the articulating ball portion of a stud. A shank extends from the ball portion, outwardly from the housing cap, to provide a connection and anchoring interface for the suspension member or other anchoring component. The connection interface with the anchoring suspension member is characterized by a specially designed surface which is convenient to machine, provides increased surface-to-surface contact area, and provides additional advantages such as improved stress distribution and NVH benefits. A washer-like cone adaptor mates with a specially formed adaptor interface region on the stud. On its outer surface, the adaptor has a broad tapering feature designed to seat in a complementary-shaped receiving flare in the anchoring suspension member.