Role of Bearings in Industrial castors

Most industrial castors have three main types of bearings. The three main bearings are roller, taper and ball bearings. However, there are other options for high temperature, heavy load, side loading, corrosion resistance and wet applications. Determining what type of bearing your caster has depends on the wheel and axle used in the caster.

Ball bearings are maintenance free and greased for life. If your wheel has ball bearings, it will have a solid axle and the wheel will not have grease jerky fittings. The wheel will roll when it is not under load with minimal effort. Ball bearings provide maximum rolling ease with no maintenance or lubrication.

Straight roller bearing casters with roller bearings will have either a hollow axle or a jerk fitting and a hard washer to hold it on the wheel. The wheel will roll with minimal effort when it is not under load. The difference between roller bearings and ball bearings is that roller bearings will require maintenance. Roller bearings are able to withstand higher loads than ball bearings of the same size.

A wheel with a tapered bearing will also require maintenance. Often, the bearing is pre-lubricated before the bearing is mounted on the wheel. A wheel with a taper bearing will either have a hollow axle or a grease jerk in the wheel.

General inspection for wheel bearings.

It is important to check the wheel bearings on the casters during routine maintenance for wear. Here are some general guidelines.

·         Lift the caster so that it can roll freely.

·         Turn the wheel onto the casters

·         Repeat step 2 until all casts have been checked.

Ideas for replacements

Wheel bearings that knock or grind during rotation should be replaced. Replacement should also be done if the wheel does not turn or there is an unusual amount of resistance. If the wheel does not turn, make sure no foreign material is caught between the foot and the wheel.

What is the difference between a tapered bearing and a roller bearing? A tapered bearing must be preloaded before rolling. This means that tapered bearings require effort to turn the wheel under load. Once the tapered bearing is placed under load, the wheel will roll freely. That is why taper bearings are generally used for heavy loads. They are also a good choice for applications with extreme side loading and selective bearings for high speed and heavy loads. Regardless of use, taper bearings should be checked periodically for proper alignment.

Sponsor Ads

• Ad Space Available - Rent it Now!

Report this Page

Created on Sep 13th 2022 06:37. Viewed 248 times.

Share on APSense

Comments