The socket assembly includes a housing that presents an inner wall which surrounds an open bore. A stud is partially received in the open bore with a bearing interposed between the inner wall and the stud. The bearing has a bearing piece, which is in surface-to-surface contact with the stud, and a preload piece which is elastically compressed to impart a biasing force on the bearing piece, thereby preloading the bearing piece against the stud. The preload piece is in an overmolded engagement with the bearing piece to securely couple these pieces together such that the bearing can be inserted into the open bore of the housing together as a unit. The bearing and preload pieces are made of different materials with different elasticities.

Axial ball joint (1), particularly for use in a steering gear (7), which includes a joint housing (2) open on a first side for receiving a joint ball (4) attached to a joint stud (5). A housing stud (3) is arranged on the joint housing (2). A damping device (10) is provided on the side of the joint housing (2) on which the housing stud (3) is formed. The damping device (10) includes an elastic damping element (11) made of plastic with a metallic insert (12). The metallic insert (12) is embedded in the material of the elastic damping element (11) by injection molding.

A ball socket for connection with a ball stud resists accidental pull-out of the ball stud. The ball socket achieves relatively low insertion force but relatively high pull-out force resistance.

In a socket assembly having a housing with a closed end and an open end and an axially slidable and rotatable bearing, a spring washer seated on the axially slidable and rotatable bearing with a protrusion or a recess on the external periphery for engagement with a cooperating recess or protrusion on an inner cavity of the housing to effectively stop movement of spring washer with the axially slidable and rotatable bearing during driving conditions.