An automotive component having an opening through which a ball joint extends, the ball joint comprising: a housing having an exterior substantially cylindrical surface, a seating surface radially extending from the exterior surface for abutting an adjacent first side of the automotive component, and a peripheral groove disposed in the exterior surface spaced axially from the seating surface a predetermined distance; a ball stud having a ball end mounted within the housing and a shank extending axially out of a crown of the housing; a flexible boot having an distal end sealingly engaged on the shank and an opposing proximal base end, the base end including a metal base ring with an inwardly extending flexible detent engaged in the peripheral groove in the housing and a base seal sealing engaged on the exterior surface, the base ring having a radially extending abutment surface for retaining an adjacent second side of the automotive component, and wherein the automotive component is selected from the group consisting of: a control arm; a stabilizer link; a stabilizer bar; and a steering linkage.

The present invention relates to a sliding cage of universal joint for vehicle, and more particularly, to a sliding cage of universal joint for vehicle for making a shaft joint and a pipe joint smoothly slide as well as operating an elastically contacted needle bearing, installed to the sliding cage, when a universal joint is slipped or delivers rotating torque.

The present invention provides a sliding cage of universal joint for vehicle, comprising: a sleeve; a plurality of mountings positioned to keep distance along the longitudinal direction of the outer side of the sleeve; and a needle bearing and a ball bearing which are installed to the mountings, wherein the sliding cage is provided to the universal joint constructing a steering apparatus for vehicle, thereby being assembled to deliver torque while being slipped toward axial direction.

A ball joint dust cover is provided. The ball joint dust cover is made of a rubbery elastic material and is provided with a small diameter opening part with which a hard ring is formed. The hard ring is sandwiched by a retainer having a three-sided box shape. The retainer includes a plurality of gaskets contacting the hard ring.

A steering bearing for bearing a steering column of a motor vehicle, including an inner ring and an outer ring having respective raceways on which balls roll, the outer ring being enclosed by a sleeve in which a spring ring is arranged. The spring ring tensions the balls against the respective raceways and the balls roll on said spring ring.

The ball socket assembly includes a housing with an open interior which extends along an axis. A bearing is disposed in the open interior of the housing and has a curved primary contact surface which surrounds the axis and surrounds a stud ball opening. A stud ball is disposed in the opening and is in sliding contact with the primary contact surface for allowing rotation of the stud ball relative to the bearing. The stud ball has an equator and is in sliding contact with the bearing on both sides of the equator. A stud is operably connected with the stud ball. A shoe is further provided and has a pair of supplemental contact surfaces that are biased against the stud ball. The shoe provides the stud with a predetermined rotational torque and also adjusts for wear in the assembly to maintain the performance of the socket assembly.

A telescopic steering column assembly comprising an upper shroud portion and a lower shroud portion is supported by the shroud portions through a support bearing assembly that acts between an upper portion of the telescopic steering shaft and a lower portion of the shroud that move relative to one another axially during telescopic adjustment, in which the support bearing assembly comprises: a set of bearings elements, a bearing cage comprising a sleeve that is located between an outer face of the upper shaft and an inner face of the lower shroud portion and is free to move axially relative to one of the upper shaft and the lower shroud, the cage including pockets that extend through the sleeve, each pocket loosely locating a bearing element such that a portion of the bearing element extends through the cage to engage with a first bearing race surface defined by one of the upper shaft and the shroud, an annular bearing race having a tapered second bearing race surface that engages the bearing elements located between the cage and the upper shaft or the cage and the lower shroud so that the annular bearing race is on the opposite side of the cage to the first bearing surface, and a biasing means which applies an axially directed thrust to the bearing elements to force them into engagement with the second bearing surface of the annular bearing race the thrust being reacted by the second bearing surface.

A steering assembly includes a rack assembly coupled to a road wheel. The rack assembly includes a housing, a ball screw, a bearing, and a retainer. The housing defines an injection port. The ball screw is at least partially received within the housing. The bearing is received within the housing and rotatably supports the ball screw. The retainer is received within the housing and includes a first retainer portion and a second retainer portion. The first retainer portion cooperates with the housing. The second retainer portion extends from the first retainer portion and is spaced apart from the housing. The second retainer portion defines a channel. The channel, the second retainer portion, and a surface of the housing defines an injection pocket.

The apparatus includes a first tie rod end component having a first threaded surface and a second tie rod end component having a second threaded surface. The first and second tie rod end components are configured to rotatably couple to a center component in opposite directions. The tie rod end components each include a groove designed to assist a user in determining whether the tie rod ends are properly coupled to the center component. If the groove is visible to a user then the tie-rod end is not screwed in far enough. In contrast, it the groove is hidden that indicates that the tie rod end component and the center component are properly assembled to each other.

An integrated magnetic shield and bearing holder useable with electric motors includes a shaft portion and a cover portion extending radially outward from the shaft portion. The shaft portion includes an inner wall defining a channel and a ledge extending radially inward from the inner wall. The cover portion includes a first layer, a second layer extending substantially parallel to the first layer, a magnetic shield extending between the first layer and the second layer, and an outer wall extending from the first layer and/or the second layer such that a space is defined between the outer wall and the shaft portion. The cover portion includes one or more retainers coupled to the magnetic shield to restrict movement of the magnetic shield relative to the first layer and/or the second layer.

A steering shaft assembly includes a male shaft having a plurality of teeth extending radially outwardly from a portion of the male shaft. The steering shaft assembly also includes a female shaft receiving a portion of the male shaft and fixed to the male shaft in a rotational direction, the male shaft axially moveable relative to the female shaft, the female shaft having an end portion and a body portion, wherein the end portion of the female shaft has an end wall thickness that is less than a body wall thickness of the body portion, the end portion curved radially inwardly to define a hard stop position during axial movement of the male shaft. An end of the plurality of teeth of the male shaft contact the curved end portion of the female shaft at the hard stop position.