Ball joint assembly having friction coated components and methods of assembling a ball joint assembly having defined gaps

A ball joint assembly comprising:

• a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing at least partially defining a cavity;
• a ball stud including a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft connected to the head portion, the shaft extending through an opening at the second end of the housing;
• a ball race positioned within the cavity, the ball race positioned about at least a portion of the head portion of the ball stud, wherein a portion of the ball race extends past the opening at the second end of the housing;
• a solid friction coating applied to at least one of an inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion of the ball stud;
• and
• a piston positioned within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at the first end of the housing, wherein a central axis of the housing is defined between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing, the central axis extending through a centerline of the ball joint and parallel to an outer surface of the piston, an angle A1 between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, an angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, and a first gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1.

A method of assembling a ball joint, the method comprising:

• configuring a housing to at least partially define a cavity having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
• positioning a head portion of a ball stud within the cavity, the ball stud including a shaft extending from the head portion;
• positioning a ball race about at least a portion of the head portion of the ball stud so that the shaft extends through an opening in the cavity at the second end of the housing;
• and
• a piston within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at a first end of the housing, wherein a central axis is defined between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing and extends through a centerline of the ball joint and parallel to an outer surface of the piston, the method further comprising:
• positioning the piston within the cavity to define a first angle A1 between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis;
• defining a second angle A2 between an inner surface of the housing and the central axis;
• and
• positioning the ball race within the cavity to define a third angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis and a fourth angle B2 between a lower portion of the ball race and the central axis, wherein a first gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1, and a second gap defines a difference in angle between b2 and A2.

A ball joint assembly comprising:

• a housing at least partially defining a cavity;
• a ball stud including a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft extending from the head portion;
• a ball race positioned within the cavity, the ball race positioned about at least a portion of the head portion of the ball stud;
• a solid friction coating applied to at least one of an inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion of the ball stud;
• and
• a piston positioned within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at a first end of the housing,
• wherein a central axis of the housing is defined between the first end of the housing and an opposing second end of the housing, the central axis extending through a centerline of the ball joint and parallel to an outer surface of the piston, a first angle Al between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a second angle A2 between an inner surface of the housing and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a third angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a fourth angle B2 between a lower portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a first gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1 , and a second gap defines a difference in angle between B2 and A2.