Radial joint and process for manufacturing such a radial joint for a motor vehicle

A process for manufacturing a radial joint, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a ball pivot with a joint ball and a pivot section connected to said joint ball;
• providing a bearing shell accommodating said joint ball;
• manufacturing a housing blank to provide a metallic housing with a cylindrical interior space with an opening on one side;
• machining a section close to the opening of said housing;
• inserting said joint ball with said bearing shell into said interior space of said housing to mount said ball pivot pivotably and rotatably in a bearing area of said interior space and said pivot section of said ball pivot protruding from said housing through said opening of said housing;
• cold forming an opening-side edge section of said housing until a metallic overlap is achieved between said joint ball and said housing, said metallic overlap being sized for guaranteeing an extraction strength sufficient for the joint to be produced and forming a positive-locking connection between said housing metallic overlap and said bearing shell accommodating said joint ball.

A process for manufacturing a radial joint, the process comprising the steps of:

• providing a ball pivot comprising a joint ball and a pivot portion, said pivot portion being connected to said joint ball;
• providing a bearing shell;
• forming a one-piece metallic housing comprising a bearing area, said housing defining an interior space, said metallic housing having an opening on one side;
• machining a portion of said housing;
• cold forming an opening-side edge section of said housing;
• inserting said joint ball with said bearing shell into said interior space of said housing.