The ball socket assembly includes a housing that is made as a monolithic piece and has an inner bore. The ball socket assembly also includes a ball stud that has a semi-spherically curved portion, a cylindrical portion, and a shank portion. The ball socket assembly further includes a backing bearing and an exit bearing. A third bearing is received on the cylindrical portion of the ball stud. The third bearing has a curved outer surface which cooperates with the curved inner surface of at least one of the exit and backing bearings for allowing the ball stud and the bearing to articulate and rotate relative to the housing. The third bearing is also in slidable contact with the cylindrical portion of the ball stud for allowing the ball stud to more freely rotate relative to the housing about the central axis.