Patent ID: 8475075

Claim:
A suspension component for a vehicle, comprising: a suspension arm comprising a cast iron body having a tubular boss terminating at an axially facing end face; an adapter ring comprising an annular body having an axially extending through aperture and an axially facing end surface having an axially extending annular protrusion concentrically disposed on said end surface, said protrusion being deformably heated to a plasticized state and welded to the end face of said tubular boss through a capacitor discharge welding process; said adapter ring further comprising an opposing axially facing end surface defining an annular radially extending flange, and having an annular pilot extending in an axial direction from said flange opposite said protrusion, a surface of said flange facing an axial direction opposite said protrusion defining a land radially outward of said pilot; and a steel tube terminating at an axially facing end face, wherein said pilot is axially inserted within said steel tube and the end face of said steel tube is fixed to said land of said adapter ring; wherein said aperture in said adapter ring allows an electrode to pass through said steel tube and said adapter ring to engage said cast iron body, and wherein said protrusion on said adapter ring is heated to a plasticized state as a capacitor is discharged through said protrusion and the end face of said tubular boss.