Automotive ball joint for steering system or suspension system

摘要

A ball joint (10) between two moving parts (12, 14, 16) forms part of an automotive steering system or suspension system, and consists of a ball stump (70) with a middle ball part (24) and a pair of stump parts (40, 42) which extend in diametrically opposed directions from the ball part. The stumps and mid-ball section have a central aperture (54). The mid-axis of stump parts and that of the middle ball part is co-located, and extends radially through the stump parts and middle ball section. The joint is secured by a fixture (260) through the central passage and around the ball stumps to which it is attached. The middle ball section is surrounded by a housing (60) with opposite ends (74, 88) through which the stumps extend.