Patent ID: 6481731
Filing Date: 2002-11-19
Classification: B62D

Abstract:
A vehicle steering linkage for steering a steered vehicle wheel comprising:a first link; a second link; a primary connection between said first link and said second link including a ball fixed to one of said first and said second links and a socket that retains the ball and is fixed to the other one of said first and said second links; a redundant connection between said first link and said second link including a slot through said first link and a retainer that is attached to said second link that passes through the slot and that has a head on a free end of the retainer with a head width that prevents passage of the head through the slot and which prevents separation of said second link from said first link; and wherein steering forces pass through said primary connection prior to failure of the primary connection and pass through said redundant connection following failure of said primary connection.