Rolling Bearing Fixing Methods: A Comprehensive Guide

Jun 04, 2024

In the shaft system structure, there are usually three ways to fix rolling bearings:

 

three ways to fix rolling bearings

 

1. Fixed at both ends: The inner rings of the two bearings are fixed by the shaft shoulder, and the outer rings are fixed by the flange cover; the inner and outer rings of each bearing are constrained in only one direction along the axial direction.

 

bearing fixed at both ends

 

2. Fixed at one end and floating at one end: One support limits the bidirectional axial displacement of the shaft (called fixed support), and the other support can move axially (called floating support) and cannot bear axial load. Suitable for occasions with high working temperature and large pivot span.

 

fixing bearing

 

3. Floating at both ends: For a single bearing, generally the inner ring and the outer ring need to be fixed. The outer ring of the bearing can be fixed with a retaining ring for the hole, and the inner ring can be fixed with a retaining ring for the shaft; both supports have no axial constraints, also known as floating supports at both ends. Commonly used in herringbone gear occasions to prevent the gear from getting stuck and uneven force on both sides of the herringbone gear.

 

Fixing of Rolling Bearings

A. Circumferential fixation

It can ensure that there is no relative circular motion between the inner ring and the journal, and the outer ring and the seat hole after the bearing is stressed.

Fixation is achieved by using the fit between the outer ring and the bearing seat hole, and the inner ring and the shaft neck;

The bearing is used as the reference part. The inner hole of the bearing and the shaft neck adopt the base hole system, and the outer diameter and the seat hole adopt the base shaft system;

The rotating ring is tighter than the fixed ring. The rotating seat ring should generally be guaranteed to have an interference, and the non-rotating seat ring should be guaranteed to have a clearance fit or transition fit with a smaller gap.

 

B. Axial fixation

Bearing inner ring fixation

1) Bearing shoulder fixation

The axial fixation of the bearing inner ring is achieved by using the shoulder and interference, which is mainly used for structures fixed at both ends.

 

2) Bearing elastic retaining ring fixation

The axial fixation of the bearing inner ring is achieved by the shoulder and locking nut, which can withstand a smaller bidirectional axial load.

 

3) Bearing locking nut fixation

The axial fixation of the bearing inner ring is achieved by the shoulder and locking nut, which is mostly used in high-speed and heavy-load working occasions.

 

4) Bearing end thrust washer fixation

The inner ring is axially fixed through the shaft shoulder and the shaft end retaining ring. The shaft end retaining ring is fixed to the shaft end with a screw with a loosening device; it is mainly used in working occasions where it is difficult or inappropriate to cut threads on the shaft end or where space is limited.

 

5) Bearing adapter sleeve fixation

The radial size of the inner hole of the adapter sleeve is compressed to clamp it on the shaft to achieve axial fixation of the inner ring.

 

6) Bearing withdrawal sleeve fixation

The withdrawal sleeve is usually equipped with a special nut, so it is more convenient to load and unload. It is used to fix the double-row spherical bearing on the optical axis.

 

 

Bearing outer ring fixation

 

1) Elastic retaining ring

Simple structure, easy installation and disassembly, small axial size, by adding an adjustment ring between the bearing end face and the retaining ring, the bearing axial position, assembly error and other adjustments can be achieved in working occasions with lower speed and smaller axial load.

 

2) Adjusting screw and adjusting cover

Similar to the end cover fixation, the adjusting screw device with anti-loosening measures can conveniently adjust the clearance of the outer bearing of the sight box.

 

3) Snap ring fixation

Fixed by the outer ring of the radial bearing with a snap groove, the structure is simpler and has a smaller axial size, but can only bear a smaller axial load.

 

4) End cover fixation

Commonly used in the fixation of radial or radial thrust bearings on the shaft end, the end cover has various forms. If a through hole form is adopted, multiple sealing devices can also be configured. It is more used in high speed and large axial load occasions.

 

5) Threaded ring fixation

Suitable for occasions with high speed and large axial load, the threaded ring with relaxation measures can adjust the clearance when the radial thrust bearing is installed face to face.

The clearance of the rolling bearing refers to the maximum movement of the inner and outer rings of the bearing, one of which is fixed and the other in the radial or axial direction, and is called radial clearance and axial clearance respectively.

 

Radial clearance of deep groove ball bearings Unit: pm
Nominal bearing inner diameter d (mm) clearance
C2 CN C3 C4 C5
≤30 1~11 5~20 13~28 23~41 30~53
>30~40 1~11 6~20 15~33 28~46 40~64
>40~50 1~11 6~23 18~36 30~51 45~73
>50~65 1~15 8~28 23~43 38~61 55~90
>65~80 1~15 10~30 25~51 46~71 65~105
>80~100 1~18 12~36 30~58 53~84 75~120
>100~120 2~20 15~41 36~66 61~27  90~140
>120~140 2~23 18~48 41~81 71~114 105~160
>140~160 2~23 18~53 46~91 81~130 120~180
>160~180 2~25 20~61 53~102 91~147 35~200
>180~200 2~30 25~71 63~117 107~163 1 50~230
>200~225 2~35 25~85 75~140 125~195 175~265
>225~250 2~40 30~95 85~160 145~225 205~300
>250~280 2~45 35~105 90~170 155~245 225~340
>280~315 2~55 40~115 100~190 175~270 245~370
>315~355 3~60 45~125 110~210 195~ 300 245~370
>355~400 3~70 55~145 130~240 225~340 315~460
>400~450 3~80 60~170 I 50~270 250~380 350~510
>450~ 500 3~90 70~190 170~300 280~420 390~570
>500~560 10~100 80~210 190~330 310~470 440~630
>560~630 10~110 90~230 210~360 340~520 490~690
>630~710 20~130 110~260 240~ 400 380~772  540~760 
>710~800 20~140 120~290 270~450 430~630 600~840

 

Radial internal clearance of self-aligning ball bearings Unit: (um)
Nominal bearing inner diameter d (mm) Clearance of cylindrical bore bearings Clearance of tapered bore bearings
C2 CN C3 C4 C5 CCI CC2 CC3 CC4 CC5
≤30 5~16 11~24 19~35 29~46 40~58 9~20 15~28 23~39 33~50 44~62
>30~40 6~18 13~29 23~40 34~53 46~66 12~24 19~35 29~46 40~59 52~72
>40~50 6~19 14~31 25~44 37~57 50~71 14~27 22~39 33~52 45~65 58~79
>50~65 7~21 16~36 30~50 45~69 62~88 18~32 27~47 41~61 56~80 73~99
>65~80 8~27 18~40 35~60 54~83 76~108 23~39 35~57 50~75 69~98 91~123
>80~100 9~27 22~48 42~70 64~96 88~124 29~47 42~68 62~90 84~116 109~144
>100~120 10~31 25~56 50~83 75~114 105~145 35~66 50~81 75~108 100~139 130~170
>120~140 10~38 30~68 60~100 90~135 125~170 40~68 60~98 90~130 120~165 155~205
>140~160 15~44 35~80 70~120 110~161 150~210 45~74 65~110 100~150 140~191 180~240

 

Axial clearance of radial thrust ball bearings, etc. (mm)
Bearing inner diameter Axial clearance of radial thrust ball bearings Clearance of single row tapered roller bearings Double row thrust ball bearing axial clearance
Light Series Medium and heavy series Light Series Light width, medium width and medium width series Light Series Medium and heavy series
≤30 0.02~0.06 0.03~0.09 0.03~0.1 0.04~0.11 0.03~0.08 0.05~0.11
>30~50 0.03~0.09 0.04~0.10 0.04~0.11 0.05~0.13 0.04~0.10 0.06~0.12
>50~80 0.04~0.10 0.05~0.12 0.05~0.13 0.06~0.15 0.05~0.14 0.07~0.14
>80~120 0.05~0.12 0.06~0.15 0.06~0.15 0.07~0.18 0.06~0.15 0.10~0.18
>120~150 0.06~0.15 0.07~0.18 0.07~0.18 0.09~0.20    
>150~180 0.07~0.18 0.09~0.20 0.09~020 0.10~0.22    
>180~200 0.09~020 0.10~0.22 0.12~0.22 0.14~0.24    
>200~250     0.18~0.30 0.18~0.30    

 

Radial internal clearance of cylindrical roller bearings and tapered roller bearings Unit: (um)
Nominal bearing inner diameter d (mm) Interchangeable clearance of cylindrical bore bearings Non-interchangeable clearance of cylindrical bore bearings
C2 CN C3 C4 C5 CCI CC2 CC(1) CC3 CC4 CC5
≤30 0~25 20~45 35~60 50~75 70~95 5~15 10~25 25~35 40~50 50~60 70~80
>30~40 5~35 25~50 45~70 60~85 80~105 5~15 12~25 25~40 45~33 SS~70 80~95
>40~50 5~35 30~60 50~80 70~100 95~125 5~18 15~30 30~45 50~65 65~808 95~110
>50~63 10~40 40~70 60~90 80~110 10~140 5~20 15~33 35~50 55~75 75~90 10~130
>65~80 10~45 40~75 65~100 90~125 130~165 10~25 20~40 40~60 70~90 90~110 130~150
>80~100 15~80 50~85 75~110 105~140 155~190 10~30 23~45 45~70 80~105 105~125 155~180
>100~120 15~55 50~90 85~125 125~165 180~220 10~30 25~50 50~80 95~120 120~145 180~205
>120~140 15~60 60~105 100~140 145~190 200~245 10~33 30~60 60~90 105~135 135~160 200~230
>140~160 20~70 80~120 5~165 165~215 225~275 10~35 35~65 65~100 115~150 150~180 225~260
>160~180 25~75 75~125 120~170 170~220 250~300 10~40 35~75 75~110 125~165 165~200 220~185
>180~200 35~90 90~145 140~195 195~250 275~330 15~45 40~80 80~120 140~180 180~220 275~315
>200~225 45~105 105~165 160~220 220~280 305~365 15~50 45~90 90~135 135~200 200~240 305~350
>225~250 45~110 10~173 170~235 235~300 330~399 15~50 50~100 100~150 170~1215 215~265 330~ 380
>250~280 55~125 125~195 190~260 260~330 370~440 20~55 55~10 110~165 185~240 240~295 370~420
>280~315 65~130 130~205 200~275 275~350 410~485 20~60 60~120 120~180 205~265 265~325 410~470
>315~355 65~145 145~225 225~305 305~385 455~535 20~65 65~135 135~200 225~295 295~360 455~520
>355~400 100~195 190~280 280~370 370~460 $10~600 25~75 75~150 150~225 235~330 330~405 510~585
>400~450 110~210 210~310 310~410 410~510 365~663 25~88 85~170 170~255  255~370 370~445 445~650
>450~500 110~220 220~330 330~440 440~550 625~735 25~95 95~190 190~285 315~410 410~505 625~720

 

Axial clearance value of double row tapered roller bearing during assembly (mm)
Bearing inner diameter General situation The inner ring temperature is 25~30℃ higher than the outer ring temperature
<80 0.10~020 0.30~0.40
>80~180 0.15~025 0. 40~0.50
>180~225 0.20~0.30 0.50~0.60
>225~315 0.30~0.40 070~0.90
>315~560 0.40~0.50 0.90~1

 

Axial clearance value of four~row tapered roller bearing during assembly (mm)
Bearing inner diameter Axial clearance Bearing inner diameter Axial clearance
>120~180 0.15~025 >560~630 0.30~0 40
>180~225 0.20~0.30 >630~800 0.35~0.45
>225~315 025~035 >800~1000  0.34~0.45
>315~560 0.30~0 40 >1000~1250 0. 40~0.50

 

The rolling bearing should have the necessary clearance to compensate for the manufacturing and assembly deviations, thermal expansion, and the formation of oil film to ensure its uniform and flexible movement, otherwise blocking will occur. However, excessive clearance will concentrate the load, generate impact and vibration, not only generate noise during work, but also cause serious friction, wear, heat, and even cause accidents. Therefore, choosing the appropriate clearance is one of the important links to ensure the normal operation of the bearing and extend its service life.

 

The preload of rolling bearings refers to maintaining a certain initial pressure and elastic deformation between the rolling elements and the rings inside the bearing during assembly to reduce the actual deformation of the bearing under the working load, thereby improving the support stiffness, improving the rotation accuracy, and improving the vibration resistance of the system due to a certain damping.

 

Minimum preload for positioning preload Fa0 min
Bearing type Pure axial load FA Combined radial and axial loads FA, Fr Note
Angular contact bearings 0.35FA 1.7 Fr tana± Fa/2 When FA and the bearing load direction are the same, the sign is negative, when they are opposite, the sign is positive
Tapered roller bearings 0.5FA 1.9 Fr tana± Fa/2 When FA and the bearing load direction are the same, the sign is negative, when they are opposite, the sign is positive
Note: Fr is the radial load carried by the bearing (kN), a is the contact angle of the bearing

 

The preload of the bearing is divided into axial preload and radial preload. The radial preload is generally adjusted by axial displacement of the inner ring of the tapered hole and the matching tapered neck or by increasing the interference between the shaft and the bearing hole; the axial preload is adjusted by gaskets, spacers, springs, nuts or threaded end caps.

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