Which Insert Bearings Will Work Best for You?

Looking at the variety of insert bearings out there might be a little confusing. Please allow us to help you figure out just which one will work best for you.

What are insert bearings? Generally speaking, insert bearings are radial bearings modified to fit in a housing. They are also known as "Y" Bearings. You can buy these bearings with the housing or separately. They fit easily into a housing if you buy them separately and intend to can use them for replacements.

Some manufacturers seal their insert bearings with seals which protect them from contamination and hold lubrication. The seals are single or double or have single or double shields. You also can get insert bearings without seals or shields. We call these bearings open insert bearings. What they lose in protection from dirt or as a container for lubricant they make up for in increased speed.

What are insert bearings made from? Manufacturers make the bearing housings from composite material, grey cast iron, sheet steel, and stainless steel.

There are advantages to using composite material for the housing. Composite housing resists corrosion, tolerates both high and low temperatures and is highly UV resistant. Composite housing is lightweight and interchanges easily with cast iron units. You can paint composite units and recycle them.

What are insert bearings used for?

We use insert bearings when we are going to use set screws or a locking collar instead of mounting the bearing on shafts with shoulders, locknuts or an adaptor. The inner ring of an insert bearing extends on both sides to provide better shaft support.

Insert bearings slip easily on a shaft without having to use special tools or a machined shaft (like regular radial bearings). The shaft is usually a little smaller than the bore of the insert bearing which makes it fit loosely. The loose-fitting insert bearing then needs a locking device which fits on the bearing when the outside ring extends to one side.

There are benefits to using insert bearings. They increase productivity because of their higher speed. They reduce costs of repairs and environmental impact. Their service life is long and they provide reduced noise and vibration. Replacement is simple, quick, and safe. They are also cost-effective.

Because they are versatile and cost-effective, you can find insert bearings in many industries: agricultural machines like combines, HVAC systems, automotive motors and other products, car washes, conveyor belts, large industrial fans, textile industry machines, food line products and the beverage industry, as well as material handlers.

Are there many kinds of insert bearings?

The Big Bearing Store has many different types of insert bearings. We have the UC200 series with a wide inner ring and two set screws for attaching to the shaft. The inner race is wide; the outer race is spherical; and the bearing is greasable. The UC200 series bearings run from 1/5 inch to 3 inches in size.

The UE200 series also has a wide inner ring but comes with concentric or a cam locking collar and is also greasable. The size of these bearings runs from 3/4 inches to 1 3/4 inches.

Other insert bearings in other series come with narrow inner rings and locking collars. Some have snap rings and some are pre-lubricated, saving you the time to grease them. Some have narrow inner rings and come with set screws.

To read about how the environment can challenge the life span of your bearings, we invite you to visit Machine Design's article "Three Life-Changing Environments for Bearings".

To talk more about insert bearings, or anything else, please contact us. We look forward to discussing how we can help you with your project.