Squeeze-Welded Spring Seat

A suspension interconnection assembly for a vehicle adapted to move along a surface of the ground, the suspension interconnection assembly comprising:

• an axle housing having an upper portion and a lower portion;
• and
• a spring seat comprising:
• a base that is substantially planar;
• a pocket integrally formed with the base, the pocket being defined by a U-shaped saddle having a bottom wall, the bottom wall extending between a first leg and a second leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg are spaced apart from the axle housing to allow the axle housing to be positioned within the pocket;
• a first claw portion extending from the first leg and a second claw portion extending from the second leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg are operable to deform to an extent that the first and second claw portions engage the upper portion of the axle housing;
• and
• a first weld securing the first claw portion to the upper portion of the axle housing and a second weld securing the second claw portion to the upper portion of the axle housing, wherein:
• areas of the axle housing adjacent the first and second welds are in a state of residual tensile stress based on forming the first and second welds, and
• the position of the first and second welds provides a stress cancelling effect upon application of a load to the axle housing in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the ground.