| Tie rod ends (better: tie rod joints ) are almost always angle ball joints or universal joints .
The upper and lower shell can be made of steel, plastic or a combination of both materials . Plastic shells are made of polyethylene, for instance. The friction pairing results from the shell material and the ball surface. The moments (torque, motive torque, initial break-away torque) and the compliance, the ball play (better: the stroke) derive from the friction pairing. Steel shell constructions provide an extremely low compliance both in radial and axial direction. High-grade plastic shell materials also provide a low compliance coupled with excellent anti-friction characteristics and excellent damping. The joint connections can be made of many different designs . The drawing shows a joint neck with inside thread bore. The joint is protected by means of a rubber bellow. |
