Agricultural Bearings: The Breakdown

Working in agriculture is a dirty job. The agricultural field is filled with harsh conditions, grueling hours, and scores of different machinery. Despite all this it is also one of the most needed and fulfilling fields to be a part of. The people of the world need fed and they rely on those working in agriculture to provide. The machinery used in these conditions requires top quality parts to maintain optimal running order under even the most laborious conditions. They require a reliable seal as well as agricultural bearings for working in contaminated conditions, provisions for misalignment, and cost effective mountings for shafts and housings.

Agricultural bearings are found in a vast assortment of equipment such as tills, harvest equipment, harrow, baler, planting and picking attachments, combine, mowing and raking, and even seed implements.

Here, we discuss just a few of the types of agricultural bearings that can be found whenever the need arises at The Big Bearing Store.

Radial Ball Bearings

These are composed of an cage that contains an inner as well as outer caged ring that contains several ball bearings designed for precise performance. These types of bearings are found in nearly every single piece of agricultural equipment used today. Everything from a baler to a combine is likely to feature a radial ball bearing.

The standard roller ball bearing features a deep groove construction that enables it to handle radial and axial loads from either direction in high speed operations.

Spherical roller bearings are roller bearings that feature a spherical design that allows them to possess an extremely high load carrying capacity. In addition, they can compensate for small misalignments due to their physical shape. These spherical roller bearing are often featured in grain processing machinery.

Needle Roller Bearings

The most economical alternative to for applications that require minimal space is the needle roller bearing. A needle roller bearing features small cylindrical rollers which have slightly different dimensions than a standard roller bearing. The needle roller bearing has a ratio of the diameter and length between the interval of .1 and .4. This helps to reduce the friction of a rotating surface.

The needle bearing has a larger surface area than a ball bearing. Furthermore, it features added clearance that makes them much more compact. The standard structure is made up of a cage that encases the needle rollers, the actual needle rollers, and an outer race.

Needle rollers are preferred for their unmatched ability to handle speed and load capacity while having a small cross section. In the agricultural industry, needle bearings are often found in the transmission, torque converters, suspensions, and U-joints of equipment.

Tapered Roller Bearing

Tapered roller bearings are available in a variety of configurations. This include single, double, and four row setups. The required configuration will vary depending on the intended use of the tapered roller bearing.

The single row version of tapered bearings are the most commonly used configuration. This bearing is composed of a cone assembly and the cup. The single row tapered roller bearing is normally fitted as one of an opposing pair. The required clearance and conditions for optimal performance are set during the assembly.

Double or two row tapered bearing are similar to the single except that they feature double cups and two single cones. The two row bearings are stiff and capable of carrying heavy loads. They are most often found in gearboxes, hoisting equipment, and tunneling machines.

Finally, even a bearing that is a tapered four row version is available and are used in condones that handle high volume in a small area. They're designed to handle a big load, where plenty of rotation and force is applied.

Agricultural equipment faces tough conditions and long hours. Ensuring your machines are fitted with quality bearing in a timely manner is vital to a profitable operation. For all your agricultural bearing needs,contact the Big Bearing Store. Featuring one of the largest inventories around and fast shipping options, the Big Bearing Store can keep your farm in top working order.