All You Need to Know About Radial Ball Bearings

Among the most versatile of all the members of the bearing family is Radial Ball Bearings. It is also the most commonly found and used due to its design lending to a wide field of applications within the industrial world. While it doesn't have the greatest statistical load-bearing abilities in comparison to specified bearing types for radial or axial loads, it can handle both with decent results. This makes it an excellent choice in generalized settings where a variety of different lighter weight demands may be present.

How Radial Ball Bearings Are Constructed

The most common composition of radial ball bearings is chrome steel. This allows the bearings to roll smoother while also having a higher capacity for larger payloads. The most frequent configuration of this bearing type from the outside inward is as follows:

• The Outer Ring: This ring holds the bearing components together
• Shield or Seal: Protects against dirt and grime or other possible types of contamination that could jeopardize the durability or proper function of the bearings. Sometimes more than one shield or seal may be present, depending on the bearing type, usage, and environment.
• Roller Cage: This holds the individual balls of the ball bearing unit in place, wrapping around the center of the ball but still allowing it to roll from within the cage.
• Ball: Also known as "steelies" to some of the older generations, these are the metal balls that rotate from within the radial ball bearing unit.
• Grease or Oil: Found inside the bearing, this is a must to maintain the lifespan and productivity of your bearing type, as it protects against corrosive materials as well as reducing friction and heat, especially in higher speed environments.

Where Radial Bearings Are Most Commonly Used:

This list could go on forever, from bicycle and motorized wheels to skateboards, computer hard drives, ATV's or anywhere that rotation or rolling is necessary to produce the desired effect. You can even find these types of bearings in skyscrapers and other tall buildings where they're used to allow some flexibility during earthquakes to help reduce damage or catastrophic collapse. You'll also find them within most industrial settings, doing some of the lighter capacity jobs while their counterparts deal with the heavier loads.

Finding quality bearings that are also affordable is important to most of us. We want our parts to last, but we also want a good return on our hard-earned money. So the recommendation here for dependable radial ball bearings that are also inexpensive is The Big Bearing Store. Simply put, low prices plus a Big inventory with most parts ready to ship the day you order them means you can get the ball rolling again quickly and without checking in multiple places.