What happens if bearings fail

Despite the fact that modern wheel bearings are easier to install than previous generations, correct installation, the usage of appropriate tools and respecting the specified torque values are still essential for maximum performance, durability and safety.

Therefore, we recommend having your wheel bearings fitted by a professional mechanic that has the skills and the tools to do the job. When replacing your wheel bearings, it is essential to look for high quality parts. MOOG offers a complete range of easy to install, premium quality, long-lasting wheel end bearings that are engineered, manufactured, tested and validated to OEM standards for maximum performance and durability. The content contained in this article is for entertainment and informational purposes only and should not be used in lieu of seeking professional advice from a certified technician or mechanic.

We encourage you to consult with a certified technician or mechanic if you have specific questions or concerns relating to any of the topics covered herein. Under no circumstances will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any content.

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Please review and accept our Privacy Policy before signing up for the newsletter. Find My Part. Products Light Vehicles Commercial Vehicles. When there is a bearing failure, that means that the bearing motion becomes ineffective. Without proper bearing motion, the machine shaft can ultimately fail, therefore, the machine itself can be damaged and break down.

Regardless if your facility has experienced bearing failure recently, it's not a surprise to say that bearings are being worn down every minute of active process operation. There are a handful of causes of bearing failures you can experience, and some are more common than others. Let's dive into further detail about these 13 common reasons why bearings fail as they relate to your manufacturing process.

This should be one of the first reasons considered when inspecting a bearing that has failed. To ensure proper lubrication, adequate viscosity at operating temperature is a must. Look for highly polished or discolored bearing raceways when troubleshooting to determine if working surfaces are lacking adequate viscosity at operating temperature.

There are numerous causes for cage damage. Some of the more common ones include vibration, excessive speed, wear, or blockage. There are many contaminants that can cause problems with a bearing. Dirt, sand, and water are the most common ones that you run into, but chemicals and corrosives can also damage bearings.

These contaminants reduce viscosity which causes corrosion to the bearing surfaces, disrupts the oil film, and causes erosion, leading to the creation of countless abrasive particles. Be sure to keep work areas, tools, fixtures, and hands clean, as this prevents and contamination failures.

Also known as "Electric Arc Erosion," this failure occurs when an electric current passes through the bearing and is broken at the contact surface between races and rolling elements, producing high temperatures at localized points. It's vital that the bearing is properly mounted to an accurately sized shaft. If it isn't, it can cause issues in two ways:. If the shaft is oversized or expands, it will result in too tight of a fit, reducing the bearing's internal clearance see more on this below.

If the shaft is undersized or has too loose of a fit, the bearing will creep on the shaft and will wear and create heat, which eventually will result in vibration and runout problems. Often referred to as "spalling," fatigue failure occurs when there's a fracture of the running surfaces, which leads to the removal of tiny, detached particles of bearing material.

Since this type of fatigue is progressive, once it begins, it will continue to spread as the bearing operates. A key indicator of fatigue to keep an eye on is an increase in vibration.

While fatigue may occur at the end of the bearing's normal life expectancy, it frequently occurs before then due to an excessive loads, according to AST Bearings.

This type of failure occurs when loads exceed the elastic limit of the ring material and can be identified as permanent indentation marks in the raceways, which cause increased vibration. Brinelling falls into two categories :. Check out this video below from The Audiopedia to learn more about brinelling.

Misalignments lead to excessive vibration and loads. Some bearings not all, though can handle minor misalignments. According to Bearing Failure: Causes and Cures , the most commonly found causes of misalignment include: bent shafts, dirt or burrs on shaft or housing shoulders, shaft threads that are not square with shaft seats, and locking nuts with faces that are not square to the thread axis.

Ensure you inspect shafts and housing regularly, use precision-grade locknuts, and shim the housings as needed. To gain a better idea of the conditions a bearing was operated, it is best to examine the wear path pattern of the dismantled bearing that's already been in service.

Adequately sealed bearings guard against contamination and ensuring the lubrication isn't destroyed. Here are some guidelines for selecting and maintaining seals from Flow Control Network :. You can troubleshoot overloading by reducing the load on the bearing or considering using a bearing with a greater capacity. Simply put, improperly storing bearing causes issues later on because they're exposed to outside elements like dampness, dust, and varying temperatures.

Handling becomes an issue when boxes are opened, or wrappings are torn prematurely because it can expose the bearings to dirt and corrosive elements. Reliable Plant says to be sure to watch out for dampness and temperatures that could cause rust or uncovered bearings in the storage area. Last but not least, this failure impacts friction, load zone size, and fatigue life of a bearing.

If the clearance of the bearing is inadequate, excessive heat will build up. As we've discussed already, high temperatures do not fare well for bearings and can cause other problems already listed as in lubrication and internal friction.

Now that you know more about the most common types of bearing failures you can witness in your facility, how exactly can you prevent a bearing failure? Once a bearing is worn, the wear rate is accelerated by seals that no longer keep out contaminants, and increased heat may breakdown and eventually expel the lubricants leading to catastrophic failure. When a bearing wears out, it is usually a case of inadequate lubrication, faulty installation or improper adjustment.

For the repair to be successful, you must first determine why the previous bearing failures occured. For sealed hub units, examining the internal bearings and races is impossible. Interview the customer to find out what kind of roads they drive on. Also, ask what types of loads they carry. If the customer overloads the vehicle, bearing damage could be inevitable.

The most common failure pattern for bearings is for those on the passenger side of the vehicle to fail first. The passenger side bearings are exposed to the most standing water in the gutter. If the bearings on the driver side of the vehicle fail first, take an extremely close look at the passenger side bearings, failure may not be far behind.

Most bearing components are heat-treated to harden the metal. But, the heat-treating can only penetrate so far into the metal. Once the bearing has worn through this layer, rapid and catastrophic wear occurs to the softer metal below. Excellent Rating. Rating Summary.

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