Wishbone-style control arm assemblies for a vehicle and methods for assembling the same are disclosed. A control arm assembly includes a first elongated segment having a first connection feature at one end of the first segment. The control arm assembly includes a second elongated segment having a second connection feature at one end of the second segment. Opposite longitudinal ends of the first and second segments may include third and fourth connection features, respectively, that are configured to interface with the vehicle. The first and second connection features are aligned to form an aperture that extends at least partially through the first and segment connection features, through which a bushing is press-fit and then swaged to form a strong connection that reduces or eliminates the need for mechanical fasteners or adhesive bonds. The bushing connection independently enables the control arm to maintain a secure connection between segments during operation of the control arm when assembled in the vehicle.

The active damper upper mount includes an inner member (11, 111) to which an upper end portion of a rod (22, 122) of an active damper (21, 121) is fixed, an intermediate member (12, 112) that surrounds the inner member in a circumferential direction around a rod axis (O1, O2), an outer member (13, 113) that surrounds the intermediate member in the circumferential direction and is attached to a vehicle body side, a first elastic body (14, 114) that is disposed between the inner member and the intermediate member and supports the inner member and the intermediate member so as to be elastically displaceable relative to each other, and a second elastic body (15, 115) that is disposed between the intermediate member and the outer member and supports the intermediate member and the outer member so as to be elastically displaceable relative to each other.

A bracket for a vehicle stabilizer is provided and includes an elastomer element for receiving a stabilizer spring, a first and a second bracket element. The first and the second bracket elements are connectable in such a way that the elastomer element is fixed between the first and the second bracket elements. A connection means for connecting the first and the second bracket elements is formed on the first and second bracket elements, the connection means has at least one connection pin and a connection recess. In a connection state of the first bracket element and of the second bracket element, the connection pin is inserted into the connection recess, and in the connection state the connection pin is frictionally fixed in the connection recess and/or the connection pin is riveted in the connection recess in a positive manner and/or the connection pin is cohesively fixed in the connection recess.

A bumper cap for a damper, the damper including an outer tube with a tube end. A rod extending through the tube end. The damper including a damping fluid, such as a hydraulic oil, that is movable within the damper in response to movement of the rod to provide a damping effect. The bumper cap has a cup shaped body having a side wall and a base, the side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface having a dimension that is sized to be press fit over the outer tube. The base of the bumper cap has a through hole in the base, the through hole configured to have the rod pass therethrough. The base has at least one fluid passage extending away from the through hole that is in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir in the side wall.

A mounting eye (21) is fastened to a rod by pushing, partially or over an entire periphery, an outer periphery of a joint portion of a mounting eye into an annular groove of the rod. Accordingly, an axial length of a fastening portion can be set shorter than that of a related-art structure (screw fastening), thereby being capable of securing a stroke of the rod of a shock absorber in which the mounting eye is fastened to the rod.

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a damper for a vehicle. The method includes forming a groove on an outer surface of a first component in a first annular region. The first component is tubular. The method further includes inducing a compressive residual stress in a second annular region. The second annular region is at least partially aligned with the first annular region along a longitudinal axis of the first component. The method further includes coupling a second component to the first component. Surfaces of the first component and the second component directly engage one another at an interface. The second component is axially aligned with and radially surrounding at least a portion of the first annular region. In some configurations, forming the groove and inducing the compressive residual stress are performed concurrently, such as by low plasticity burnishing.

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a damper for a vehicle. The method includes forming a groove on an outer surface of a first component in a first annular region. The first component is tubular. The method further includes inducing a compressive residual stress in a second annular region. The second annular region is at least partially aligned with the first annular region along a longitudinal axis of the first component. The method further includes coupling a second component to the first component. Surfaces of the first component and the second component directly engage one another at an interface. The second component is axially aligned with and radially surrounding at least a portion of the first annular region. In some configurations, forming the groove and inducing the compressive residual stress are performed concurrently, such as by low plasticity burnishing.

A vibration damper for a motor vehicle includes an outer tube and an inner tube arranged coaxially within the outer tube. A guide unit closes the outer tube and the inner tube in each case at a first end. A bottom unit has a bottom valve. The bottom unit is arranged at a second end of the inner tube. The outer tube and the inner tube are deformed plastically, such that the guide unit is connected in a positively locking manner to the outer tube and the inner tube, and the inner tube being deformed plastically, such that the bottom unit is connected in a positively locking manner to the inner tube, and/or the outer tube and the inner tube is connected in an integrally joined manner to the guide unit, and the inner tube being connected in an integrally joined manner to the bottom unit.

A bumper cap for a damper, the damper including an outer tube with a tube end. A rod extending through the tube end. The damper including a damping fluid, such as a hydraulic oil, that is movable within the damper in response to movement of the rod to provide a damping effect. The bumper cap has a cup shaped body having a side wall and a base, the side wall having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface having a dimension that is sized to be press fit over the outer tube. The base of the bumper cap has a through hole in the base, the through hole configured to have the rod pass therethrough. The base has at least one fluid passage extending away from the through hole that is in fluid communication with a fluid reservoir in the side wall.

A ball joint includes: a ball stud including a stud portion having one end portion connected to a structural member and another end portion, to which a ball portion is integrally joined; a housing made of metal and configured to support the ball portion to allow swinging and rotating movement of the ball portion; and a ball seat made of plastic and interposed between the housing and the ball portion. The ball seat includes a plurality of protrusions jutting out from the ball seat and inserted into a plurality of through holes formed in a bottom portion of the housing. The protrusions having pierced through the through holes are staked at their distal portions. The protrusion of the ball seat has a large diameter portion, whose diameter is larger than an inner diameter of the through hole, at its proximal portion proximal from the distal portion thereof.