BALL AND SOCKET JOINTS

摘要

A ball and socket joint for a vehicle steering and suspension system in which the head (12) of the ball pin (13) is mounted in a bearing cup (14) in the socket (11). The bearing cup (14) is surrounded by a compressed elastomeric bush (15) that surrounds the cup in equatorial region (E-E) of the head (12) to bias the cup (14) against the head (12) to exert a torque load thereon. The torque load can be altered by changing the hardness of the elastomeric material from which the bush is made.