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Handling queries
1.What factors increase or decrease bearing torque?
2.What is the difference between using a shield or a seal as a ball bearing closure?
Shields or seals are often installed to retain lubricant and to prevent contamination from entering the bearing. While a shield contacts the outer ring and does not come in contact with the inner ring, the seal generally comes in contact with both the inner and outer rings. Torque or drag is lower with a shield than with a seal. Alternately, the seal provides a higher degree of protection from contamination.
3.What are some significant factors that limit bearing life?
Bearings are made and tested to provide long, dependable life. Realistically, bearings are not usually operated under controlled laboratory conditions. Excessive speed, improper load calculations, poor adjustment, improper mounting, poor sealing, inadequate lubrication, extreme conditions, and inadequate maintenance and handling practices can all significantly reduce bearing life.
4.How should I store my bearings?
Don't open the box early. Bearing packaging is designed to protect bearings against dirt and moisture during shipping and storage. Let the package do its job, and leave replacement bearings in their original containers. Store them in a clean, dry area until ready for use. Avoid temperature changes in you storage area-dramatic temperature swings can cause condensation and damage the bearing.
5.What causes bearing noise?
Bearing noise is a function of both the bearing and the way it is used. Bearing noise is not generally influenced by ABEC and there is no fixed standard among bearing manufacturers for acoustic noise. Some external factors, which affect bearing noise, including, lubricant type, sealing structure, dusty environment, water invasion, excessive bearing loads, improper installation and chemical reaction with rubber seals or grease.
6. When should I replace my bearings?
If you have gone through the cleaning steps outlined above and your bearings begin to feel gritty or notched to the touch, they should be replaced. When bearings sit idle for a long time, they must be protected from any and all moisture. This is a common problem when storing small RC engines. If any moisture has gotten to the bearings, they will need to be replaced before using the engine again.
7.What sort of damage can result from foreign material being present in a bearing system?
Abrasive wear, bruising and grooving can all occur if foreign material is present. Abrasive wear consists of particle contamination; bruising is an effect of debris from other fatigued parts, inadequate sealing or poor maintenance. Grooving occurs when large particle contamination is imbedded into the soft cage material.
8.How much maintenance do bearings require?
Maintenance depends on the type of enclosures and lubricants your bearings have. Rubber sealed or Ultra sealed bearings require no maintenance and the lube is good for the life of the bearing. Metal-shielded bearings that use either grease or oil should be constantly maintained and frequency level with varies depending on your application. Oil dissipates faster than grease, so typically shielded bearings using oil as lubrication will require constant care.
9.How fast will open bearings get dirty?
It depends on where you are racing, but assuming a typical indoor track with the normal amount of grit and dust, you can expect 30 minutes before performance begins to degrade.
10.How fast will Shielded Bearings get dirty?
Again, it depends on where you are racing, but assuming a typical indoor track with the normal amount of grit and dust, you can expect 3-4 hours before performance begins to degrade.
11.Do I need to clean my bearings?
Unless you have rubber sealed bearings (which are not recommended due to excess drag) you will need to clean your bearings.
12.How often should I clean my bearings?
Simply spin them and if they are not turning as freely as when you installed them, it is time to clean them.
13.What if I am too lazy to clean them?
If you do not clean them the grit will wear the balls and raceways, resulting in permanent damage.
14.Does seal color mean anything?
No, different manufacturers use different colors to identify their product and develop brand awareness.
13.How much grease is too much?
For general applications a grease fill of 30% of the free space in the bearing seems to be accepted as standard by most manufacturers. Slow speed applications in harsh environments (such as agricultural machinery) can sometimes require a larger fill. High speed applications (i.e. hand tools) can require a lesser fill. Check with HCH engineering for any special requirements
| Factors thatincrease bearing torque | Factors thatdecrease bearing torque |
|
● Increased number of balls in thebearing ● Tight radial play ● High lubricant viscosity ● High lube fill in the bearing ● High applied bearing load |
● Fewer balls in the bearing ● Loose radial play ● Low lubricant viscosity ● Low lube fill in the bearing ● Low applied bearing load |
2.What is the difference between using a shield or a seal as a ball bearing closure?
Shields or seals are often installed to retain lubricant and to prevent contamination from entering the bearing. While a shield contacts the outer ring and does not come in contact with the inner ring, the seal generally comes in contact with both the inner and outer rings. Torque or drag is lower with a shield than with a seal. Alternately, the seal provides a higher degree of protection from contamination.
3.What are some significant factors that limit bearing life?
Bearings are made and tested to provide long, dependable life. Realistically, bearings are not usually operated under controlled laboratory conditions. Excessive speed, improper load calculations, poor adjustment, improper mounting, poor sealing, inadequate lubrication, extreme conditions, and inadequate maintenance and handling practices can all significantly reduce bearing life.
4.How should I store my bearings?
Don't open the box early. Bearing packaging is designed to protect bearings against dirt and moisture during shipping and storage. Let the package do its job, and leave replacement bearings in their original containers. Store them in a clean, dry area until ready for use. Avoid temperature changes in you storage area-dramatic temperature swings can cause condensation and damage the bearing.
5.What causes bearing noise?
Bearing noise is a function of both the bearing and the way it is used. Bearing noise is not generally influenced by ABEC and there is no fixed standard among bearing manufacturers for acoustic noise. Some external factors, which affect bearing noise, including, lubricant type, sealing structure, dusty environment, water invasion, excessive bearing loads, improper installation and chemical reaction with rubber seals or grease.
6. When should I replace my bearings?
If you have gone through the cleaning steps outlined above and your bearings begin to feel gritty or notched to the touch, they should be replaced. When bearings sit idle for a long time, they must be protected from any and all moisture. This is a common problem when storing small RC engines. If any moisture has gotten to the bearings, they will need to be replaced before using the engine again.
7.What sort of damage can result from foreign material being present in a bearing system?
Abrasive wear, bruising and grooving can all occur if foreign material is present. Abrasive wear consists of particle contamination; bruising is an effect of debris from other fatigued parts, inadequate sealing or poor maintenance. Grooving occurs when large particle contamination is imbedded into the soft cage material.
8.How much maintenance do bearings require?
Maintenance depends on the type of enclosures and lubricants your bearings have. Rubber sealed or Ultra sealed bearings require no maintenance and the lube is good for the life of the bearing. Metal-shielded bearings that use either grease or oil should be constantly maintained and frequency level with varies depending on your application. Oil dissipates faster than grease, so typically shielded bearings using oil as lubrication will require constant care.
9.How fast will open bearings get dirty?
It depends on where you are racing, but assuming a typical indoor track with the normal amount of grit and dust, you can expect 30 minutes before performance begins to degrade.
10.How fast will Shielded Bearings get dirty?
Again, it depends on where you are racing, but assuming a typical indoor track with the normal amount of grit and dust, you can expect 3-4 hours before performance begins to degrade.
11.Do I need to clean my bearings?
Unless you have rubber sealed bearings (which are not recommended due to excess drag) you will need to clean your bearings.
12.How often should I clean my bearings?
Simply spin them and if they are not turning as freely as when you installed them, it is time to clean them.
13.What if I am too lazy to clean them?
If you do not clean them the grit will wear the balls and raceways, resulting in permanent damage.
14.Does seal color mean anything?
No, different manufacturers use different colors to identify their product and develop brand awareness.
13.How much grease is too much?
For general applications a grease fill of 30% of the free space in the bearing seems to be accepted as standard by most manufacturers. Slow speed applications in harsh environments (such as agricultural machinery) can sometimes require a larger fill. High speed applications (i.e. hand tools) can require a lesser fill. Check with HCH engineering for any special requirements
