We previously discussed, Common Bearing Failure Causes: Part 1 Contamination. In this blog, we discuss bearing failures caused by faulty installation.
Another common bearing failure is faulty installation. Bearings must be removed and reinstalled occasionally due to failure, or they must be removed to disassemble a piece of equipment for repair or maintenance. Bearings are designed to have a long service life; however, this service life is greatly affected by the installation and maintenance of the bearing. Here are some of the most common poor assembly and installation practices:
- Shaft and bearing fits are not within allowable limits.
- The housing is not rigid enough to support the load, causing the shaft to deflect.
- Housing bores are out-of-round.
- Housing and shaft shoulders are not square.
- Installed radial clearances are too low.
- Bearings are pinched when overtightening a split housing.
- Bearings mounted on tapered shafts or sleeves can be overloaded during mounting.
- Undersize shafts may permit the inner ring to slip or rotate on the shaft.
- Oversized housing bores may permit the outer ring to spin in the housing.
- Hammering on the bearings. This is an extremely poor practice. Use induction heating.
- Improper press methods during installation.
- Overheating the bearing for interference fits on the shaft. (Using an induction bearing heater instead of a blowtorch can keep this from happening.)
- Improper preload or end-play settings.
Download our Induction Heating Procedure plus Bearing Mounting to learn a simple and safe procedure for proper bearing installation using induction heating!
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Induction Heating by Tom Cummings