Patent attributes
The present invention concerns a steering and suspension system of a vehicle and a translational ball joint for use in a steering and suspension system. The system may include a lower joint assembly that employs the translational ball joint to couple a steering knuckle to a strut extension member. The translational ball joint may include a socket having a ball stud mounted therein, with the ball stud including a ball, mounted in the cavity, and a shank, including a cylindrical portion adjacent to the second end that is slidably received in a central bore of the ball and has a retention flange extending radially outward that has a diameter that is larger than a diameter of the central bore to thereby prevent the retention flange from sliding through the central bore.
