Patent ID: 7644500

Claim:
A method of assembling a ball-and-socket type mechanism with a fixed pre-load compression, said method comprising the steps of: providing a housing having a sidewall with an up-standing edge, a resilient preload member, an inner bearing having a wear surface, an articulating ball stud, and an outer bearing having a wear surface; placing into the housing the resilient member, the inner bearing against the resilient member, the ball stud in sliding contact with the wear surface of the inner bearing, and the outer bearing with its wear surface in sliding contact with the ball stud; compressing the outer bearing, ball stud and inner bearing as a unit against the resilient member until an ideal compression condition is achieved without deforming the housing; and maintaining the ideal compression condition while simultaneously fixing a position of the outer bearing in the housing and thereby creating a capture feature to capture the ideal compression condition between the outer bearing, the ball stud and the inner bearing, wherein said step of fixing the outer bearing in a position in the housing includes deforming at least a portion of the sidewall of the housing into pressing contact with the outer bearing without disturbing the up-standing edge of the sidewall.