A ball joint, particularly an axial joint, having a housing, a bearing shell which is arranged in the housing, and a ball pin with a ball head which is arranged in the bearing shell, is characterized in that the bearing shell is bent open elastically by the ball head so that the restoring force resulting from its deformation applies a prestress onto the ball head which attempts to press the latter out of the housing.
1. A ball joint assembly kit adapted for use in an axial joint, the kit having a housing, a bearing shell which is arranged in the housing, and a ball pin with a ball head which is arranged in the bearing shell, characterized in that in a non-installed initial state the bearing shell in a region which lies above a closed bottom end of the bearing shell and lies below an equator of the ball head has a radius of curvature which is smaller than a radius of the ball head to create a free space between the bearing shell and the ball head in the region which prevents the ball head from being able to be fully inserted into the bearing shell, and wherein following assembly by pressing the ball head toward the bottom closed end of the bearing shell and closing the housing by flanging inwards a marginal region of the housing which presses the bearing shell and the ball head together causing the bearing shell to be expanded and deformed elastically, wherein the free space in the region is eliminated.
2. The ball joint assembly kit according to claim 1 , wherein in the non-installed state there is a free shape in the region between the bearing shell and the housing and wherein following the assembly substantially no free space is present in the region between the housing and the bearing shell.
3. The ball joint assembly kit according to claim 1 , wherein in the region, the bearing shell has different radii of curvature inside and outside in the non-installed initial state.
4. The ball joint assembly kit according to claim 1 , wherein the bearing shell is supported in the housing by an area defined adjacent the closed bottom end thereof.
5. The ball joint assembly kit according to claim 1 , wherein the radius of curvature of the housing runs eccentrically in the region.
6. The ball joint assembly kit according to claim 1 , wherein in the region, an inner surface of the housing is formed by several radii of curvature also running eccentrically.