Ball joint with spacer cup

1. A ball joint, comprising:

a housing having an outer surface and an inner surface providing a cavity extending between an open end and a closed end of said housing, said inner surface having a cylindrical wall extending from adjacent said closed end to an annular flange extending radially inwardly from said cylindrical wall adjacent said open end, and a substantially spherical inner bearing surface;

a stud having a cylindrical outer surface extending into said cavity through said open end;

an inner bearing element having a cylindrical bore configured for close sliding movement with said cylindrical outer surface of said stud and a substantially spherical outer bearing surface configured for relative pivotal sliding against said substantially spherical inner bearing surface of said housing;

an outer bearing element having an outer surface configured for close sliding movement relative to said cylindrical wall of said housing and a substantially spherical inner bearing surface configured for relative pivotal movement with said outer bearing surface of said inner bearing element;

a spring member received in said cavity; and

an annular cup disposed between said closed end of said housing and said outer bearing element, said annular cup having a rigid body with an outer surface configured for close sliding movement relative to said cylindrical wall of said housing and an inner surface configured to receive said stud for free relative axial movement radially inwardly therefrom, said spring member imparting a bias force on said rigid body to bare against said outer bearing member thereby biasing said inner bearing surface of said outer bearing element into a preload against said outer bearing surface of said inner bearing element.

2. The ball joint of claim 1 wherein said annular cup is disposed between said spring member and said outer bearing element.

3. The ball joint of claim 2 wherein said annular cup has an end wall extending radially inwardly from said inner surface of said annular cup, said spring member engaging said end wall.

4. The ball joint of claim 3 wherein said closed end of said housing has a lubrication fitting and said end wall of said annular cup has an opening allowing lubricant to pass therethrough.

5. The ball joint of claim 3 wherein said stud has a free end axially movable between said end wall of said annular cup and said inner bearing element.

6. The ball joint of claim 1 wherein said spring member is a Belleville washer.

7. The ball joint of claim 6 wherein said Belleville washer provides said outer bearing element with a maximum axial movement relative to said cylindrical wall of about 0.008″.