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A ball joint assembly includes a housing at least partially defining a cavity. A ball stud includes a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft extending from the head portion. A ball race having an inner surface is positioned within the cavity to define an interface between the inner su

A ball joint assembly includes a housing at least partially defining a cavity. A ball stud includes a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft extending from the head portion. A ball race having an inner surface is positioned within the cavity to define an interface between the inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion. A solid friction coating is positioned within the interface. The solid friction coating is coupled to the inner surface of the ball race and/or the outer surface of the head portion of the ball stud. A piston can also be positioned within the cavity, wherein at least one gap is defined between the ball race and the piston and/or between the ball race and the housing. Methods of assembling a ball joint assembly are also disclosed.

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1. A ball joint assembly comprising: a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing at least partially defining a cavity;a ball stud including a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft connected to the head portion, the shaft extending through an open

1. A ball joint assembly comprising: a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing at least partially defining a cavity;a ball stud including a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft connected to the head portion, the shaft extending through an opening at the second end of the housing;a ball race positioned within the cavity at the first end of the housing, the ball race having an inner surface, wherein a portion of the ball race extends past the opening at the second end of the housing;an interface defined between the inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion; anda solid friction coating positioned within the interface, the solid friction coating coupled to at least one of the inner surface of the ball race and the outer surface of the head portion, wherein the solid friction coating has a hardness of 170 N/mm2 to 230 N/mm2; wherein a central axis of the housing is defined between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing, the central axis extending through a centerline of the ball joint, an angle A2 between an inner surface of the housing and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, an angle B2 between a lower portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, and a first gap defines a difference in angle between B2 and A2. 2. The ball joint assembly of claim 1 wherein the solid friction coating is applied to the inner surface of the ball race. 3. The ball joint assembly of claim 1 wherein the solid friction coating comprises a mixture of silicone dioxide and polytetrafluoroethylene. 4. The ball joint assembly of claim 1 wherein the ball race comprises a first ball race section positioned about a first portion of the ball portion and a second ball race section positioned about a second portion of the ball portion. 5. The ball joint assembly of claim 1 wherein a friction coefficient between the outer surface of the ball stud and the inner surface of the bail race is 0.08 to 0.2. 6. The ball joint assembly of claim 1, further comprising a piston positioned within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at a first end of the housing, wherein an angle A1 between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, an angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees. 7. The ball joint assembly of claim 6, wherein a second gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1. 8. A ball joint assembly comprising: a housing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the housing at least partially defining a cavity;a ball stud including a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft connected to the head portion, the shaft extending through an opening at the second end of the housing;a ball race positioned within the cavity, the ball race positioned about at least a portion of the head portion of the ball stud, wherein a portion of the ball race extends past the opening at the second end of the housing;a solid friction coating applied to at least one of an inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion of the ball stud; anda piston positioned within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at the first end of the housing, wherein a central axis of the housing is defined between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing, the central axis extending through a centerline of the ball joint and parallel to an outer surface of the piston, an angle A1 between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, an angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, and a first gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1. 9. The ball joint assembly of claim 8 further comprising a piston ring positioned about the outer surface of the piston to seal the housing. 10. The ball joint assembly of claim 8 wherein an angle A2 between the inner surface of the housing and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees. 11. The ball joint assembly of claim 10 wherein an angle B2 between the lower portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees. 12. The ball joint assembly of claim 8 wherein the ball race comprises a first ball race portion positioned about a first portion of the head portion and a second ball race portion positioned about a second portion of the head portion. 13. assembly of claim 12 wherein an angle A2 between the first ball race portion and the central axis, is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees. 14. The ball joint assembly of claim 12 wherein an angle B2 between the second ball race portion and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees. 15. The ball joint assembly of claim 11 wherein a second gap defines a difference in angle, between B2 and A2. 16. A method of assembling a ball joint, the method comprising: configuring a housing to at least partially define a cavity having a first end and a second end opposite the first end;positioning a head portion of a ball stud within the cavity, the ball stud including a shaft extending from the head portion;positioning a ball race about at least a portion of the head portion of the ball stud so that the shaft extends through an opening in the cavity at the second end of the housing; anda piston within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at a first end of the housing, wherein a central axis is defined between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing and extends through a centerline of the ball joint and parallel to an outer surface of the piston, the method further comprising:positioning the piston within the cavity to define a first angle A1 between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis;defining a second angle A2 between an inner surface of the housing and the central axis; andpositioning the ball race within the cavity to define a third angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis and a fourth angle B2 between a lower portion of the ball race and the central axis, wherein a first gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1, and a second gap defines a difference in angle between b2 and A2. 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising: applying a solid friction coating to at least one of an inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion of the ball stud. 18. A ball joint assembly comprising: a housing at least partially defining a cavity;a ball stud including a head portion positioned within the cavity and a shaft extending from the head portion;a ball race positioned within the cavity, the ball race positioned about at least a portion of the head portion of the ball stud;a solid friction coating applied to at least one of an inner surface of the ball race and an outer surface of the head portion of the ball stud; anda piston positioned within the cavity, the piston configured to seal an opening at a first end of the housing,wherein a central axis of the housing is defined between the first end of the housing and an opposing second end of the housing, the central axis extending through a centerline of the ball joint and parallel to an outer surface of the piston, a first angle Al between an inner surface of the piston and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a second angle A2 between an inner surface of the housing and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a third angle B1 between an upper portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a fourth angle B2 between a lower portion of the ball race and the central axis is between 8 degrees and 15 degrees, a first gap defines a difference in angle between B1 and A1 , and a second gap defines a difference in angle between B2 and A2. 19. The ball joint assembly of claim 18 wherein the first gap is between −2 degrees to 2 degrees. 20. The ball joint assembly of claim 18 wherein the second gap is between −2 degrees to 2 degrees. 21. The ball joint assembly of claim 18, wherein the solid friction coating has a thickness that is greater than or equal to 15 microns and less than or equal to 30 microns. 22. The ball joint assembly of claim 18, wherein the shaft extends through an opening at the second end of the housing, wherein a portion of the ball race extends past the opening at the second end of the housing.