Load Carrying Surfaces

Load Carrying Surfaces

As noted earlier, a bearing is designed to carry a load and reduce friction. The critical surfaces involved in supporting or carrying the load are:

The Balls (3)

Balls have been defined previously as one of the essential bearing components. They are subjected to the full brunt of the load carried by the bearing.

Cages (4)

Under normal conditions, cages carry very little load. However, when a bearing is not installed properly, is subjected to loads and speeds higher than recommended by the manufacturer, does not maintain proper lubrication, etc., the cage then may be subjected to loads far beyond what it is able to carry. These conditions can lead to premature cage failure.

The Raceways (5)

Raceways are the large, honed (highly polished), track surfaces on the inside of the outer ring (referred to as the outer raceway) and the outside of the inner ring (the inner raceway), that form a closed circle around the circumference of the ring. As the bearing rotates the rolling elements run on these surfaces.