Patent ID: 8356506

Claim:
A method of forming a housing, comprising the following steps: roll forming a steel tube radially inwardly with a plurality of rollers each extending perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tube, each roller having a rolling axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, the rollers compressing the tube and forming reduced diameter portions and enlarged diameter portions in the tube; cutting the tube perpendicular to its longitudinal axis generally midway through an enlarged diameter portion and a reduced diameter portion, thereby forming a plurality of mirror image performs each having an enlarged diameter open end and a reduce diameter open end; receiving a mandrel in the enlarged diameter open end of the preforms and cold working the preforms into the desired shape of the housing on the mandrel and increasing the strength of the steel at least 15%, forming a housing member having an enlarged diameter open end and a reduced diameter open end portion; and disposing components of an assembly through the open enlarged diameter end of the housing and the reduced diameter portion retaining the components in the housing.