SKF Tapered Roller Thrust Bearings

The bearing industry has a wide variety of roller thrust bearings available in different bore sizes. They are used in crane hooks, rotational platforms for oil drilling, and mill roll necks.

These bearings can withstand axial loads in one direction but cannot take radial loads. They are usually doubled to handle thrust in two directions.

High Load Capacity

SKF tapered roller thrust bearings can support heavy axial loads and peak loads with a low number of components. They also have high axial rigidity, making them ideal for use in applications that require tight dimensional tolerances.

Enhanced operational reliability

The optimized roller end design and surface finish on the flange reduce frictional heat and wear and increase load capacity. Flange geometry also minimizes stress peaks, which contribute to bearing failure.

The inner ring raceway has a slightly curved profile to prevent edge loading of the rollers. The resulting higher load capacity enables you to run your equipment at lower speeds, which leads to cost savings and longer maintenance intervals.

Self-Aligning

Unlike ball bearings which require a precise mounting technique that can result in uneven placement, self-aligning metal bearings compensate for misalignment, rotation and deflection. This makes them ideal for use in transmissions, engines, steering systems and other automotive equipment where the thrust load is primarily acting in one direction.

The outer ring of the self-aligning metal bearing has a smooth spherical shape without raceways while the inner ring has two deep uninterrupted raceway grooves. This allows the rolling elements and cage to move freely around the center of the bearing while maintaining alignment.

The tapered roller geometry provides a linear contact patch which enables the bearing to carry higher axial loads than a ball type bearing with point contact. The bearing is also less sensitive to shaft misalignment compared to spherical (ball) bearings, resulting in lower friction and heat. TEDIN’s precision tolerances and dimensional accuracy enable the bearing to operate at high speeds with optimal load distribution.

High Speeds

Because of their unique geometry, tapered roller thrust bearings can withstand combined loads (axial and radial) and allow high speeds. Their large end contact with the washer rib allows true rolling movement without differential scrubbing or shearing. This characteristic is especially useful in situations where the shaft and bearing need to remain aligned during operation, such as in crane hooks or rotary equipment for oil drilling.

Unlike spherical (ball) bearings, which use point contact, these tapered rollers have a conical shape, with their common vertex at the center line of the bearing. The axial force is transmitted through this contact patch with the raceways of the inner and outer rings, which support radial loads.

In addition to their high load capacity, NEWORLD's tapered roller thrust bearings can be used at elevated temperatures for extended periods of time. They can be heat stabilized for temperatures up to 120 degC, and they are unaffected by slight misalignment between the shaft and bearing housing.

Low Maintenance

With the rollers in contact with raceways at an angle, tapered bearings are able to support heavy radial and axial loads. They beat spherical and cylindrical roller bearings when it comes to supporting these directional forces.

NEWORLD offers single-direction and double-direction tapered thrust bearings, in addition to standard versions with full complement of rollers. Each version has a specific load-carrying capacity and can be combined with different cages to suit your application’s performance requirements.

The proper setting of the operating bearing preload is critical to achieve high system reliability and long life. Too little and the bearing is vulnerable to misalignment; too much and the bearing’s life diminishes, excessive heat is generated, and parasitic energy losses increase. Determining the right setting is easy by consulting the existing documentation, e.g., shop manuals, that describe how the bearing preload is determined and seated. These procedures generally include the use of a calibrated torque load to seat the bearing assembly while rotating the unit, the removal of the torque load, and the hand tightening of the retaining nut.