Bearing Maintenance – What You Need To Know

Keeping your roller or ball bearings in tip top shape is essential to a great spin, whether it’s on your vehicle, skateboard, or household appliance. The good news? With just a little bit of bearing maintenance, you’ll be at the top of your game.

1. Keep your bearings free of moisture and dirt, and be sure to keep them well lubricated. This requires attention on your part. You’ll never know if your bearings are looking rough unless you actually take the time to inspect them.

2. Keep an ear out. Just as you should be making a visual check on your bearings, you’ll also want to listen for any unusual sounds. When bearings become dirty they may start emitting a squeak. This means they are in desperate need of a cleaning. Use your preferred cleaning solution and dry your bearings ASAP. Once dried, reapply lubricant to prevent any wear or rusting.

3. Never lubricate dirty bearings. While it may seem like a quick fix for the time being, you should never attempt to oil or lubricate bearings if they are unclean. This may only further harm the bearings by driving the dirt into the gears.

4. Talk to people who know what they’re doing. When it comes to “DIY Bearing Maintenance” make sure you have a friend or associate who knows exactly what they’re talking about. This may only end up ruining your bearings. Instead, choose a knowledgeable bunch (Like us!) who knows exactly what they’re talking about.

We didn’t invent the wheel, we just keep it spinning! Contact VNC Bearing for roller bearings, ball bearings and custom solutions.  Call us today at 614.876.1000

How Does A Self-Aligning Bearing Operate?

Often called the “ideal” ball bearing, we’re cracking the mystery of how self-aligning bearings operate and sharing their many uses.

Have you ever wondered what separates self-aligning ball bearings from roller bearings or other custom solutions? And how exactly do these bearings self-align? These small wonders are often recommended and designed for placement in applications where misalignment would otherwise exist. Misalignments may come from assembly errors, deflections, machine errors, or other defects in production.

The design of the self-aligning bearing is what allows it to be so versatile in play. Self-aligning ball bearings contain two rows of balls and an outer ring that is spherical in shape.

It is this unique outer raceway (sometimes doubled in self-aligning bearings) of this ball bearing that allows it to self-align as well as operate smoothly without any stress to the bearing. Because of the raceway involved, these units are able to run cooler at higher speeds than other bearings. There are many variations of this bearing available, making it a definite must-have for your industry.

At VNC Bearing we have an expansive line of bearings, from ball bearings to roller bearings, we’ve got it all. Or contact us today for custom solutions to meet your specific needs. Call now at 614.876.1000