LLG Thrust Roller Bearings

LLG Thrust Roller Bearings sustain only axial loads, but they are suitable for heavy loads and have high axial rigidity. LLG Thrust Roller Bearings are available with cylindrical or spherical rollers.

They contain convex rollers that have a self-aligning capability. Standard cages of thrust roller bearings are machined brass ore pressed steel cage for heavy load capacity.

LLG range of Thrust Roller Bearings includes; needle thrust roller bearing, tapered thrust roller bearings, Etc.

LLG Thrust Roller bearings are commonly used in gearboxes, pulp, paper processing equipment, marine propulsion, offshore drilling, cranes, swing bridges, extruders for injection molding, automotive, tractor, home appliances; electric motors; pumps; machinery, and other automotive components.

OEM brands with premium services are available for your choices as well. With stock on hand ready to ship on hand, we can ensure you the on-time delivery for the standard product series.

We are looking forward to building a lifetime business relationship with you.
Please send us your inquiries, and our friendly customer service will guide you through the whole process.

 

Thrust roller bearing FAQ Questions

Introduction

A Thrust Roller Bearing

Primarily, bearings allow machinery to efficiently carry heavy loads by playing an essential role in minimizing friction.

In this guide, we shall do an assessment of thrust roller bearings alongside their operating mechanism as well as their daily applications.

Cross-section of a thrust roller bearing

What Are Thrust Roller Bearings?

These are bearings normally found in machines. They are rotatory in nature. 

They allow the support of axial loads from rotating shafts into mounts or housing.

There are four varieties of thrust roller bearings: tapered, spherical, needle, or cylindrical.  

Fluid and magnetic thrust bearings also exist.

Thrust roller bearings are usually found in machinery with gear sets such as automobiles or power drills. 

They are situated between gears, rotating shafts, or between the gear housing and support the wheels.

Thrust ball bearings are useful in accommodating radial loads in pairs in motor vehicles. Additionally, they support axial thrust in either direction.

They also are critical in enhancing smoothness and noise reduction.

Structure of a thrust roller bearing

What Is The Working Mechanism Of A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Thrust roller bearing typically uses bearings or rollers to support the machine in which they are being used. 

Bearings support the loads and reduce friction between two metals which would otherwise cause friction leading to wear and tear. 

When the moving parts rotate, they glide along with the thrust bearings.

Bearings also reduce heat due to friction and restrict the movement of moving parts to a specific direction. 

Small metallic balls make up the thrust ball bearing. They are arranged specifically to assist the rotation. This is a major plus for all moving parts of the machine.

They also transmit axial loads from the rotating components to the housing, which is stationary.

A car is a prime case of a moving machine that requires thrust bearings for operation. 

In cars, bearings are found in the steering parts, power generating parts, driving parts, and power transmitting parts. 

Each thrust bearing has its load capacity and strength; hence you should choose the best-suited type of thrust bearing for the intended application.

What Are The Features Of A Thrust Roller Bearing?

The structure of a thrust bearing consists of two washers (inner ring/shaft washer and outer ring/housing washer).

They are also designed with a cage that holds some rolling elements.

These rollers are made of quality materials, including composite materials, to guarantee reliability and precision.

Peak loads are adequately supported by thrust bearings. Additionally, it is also designed to accommodate:

1. Axial loads
2. Minimal radial loads.

The raceways and rollers can tolerate minimal misalignment. This is because they have the capability to self-align.

Thrust bearings can be segmented separable hence making it easier for installations and maintenance. In addition, separate mounting of the components is possible.

Single-acting thrust bearing supports the load in a unidirection. Consequently, the double-acting thrust roller carries the load in two directions.

Thermal tolerance of thrust bearings is usually improved through a post-manufacturing process.

What Are The Pros and Cons Of A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Advantages of thrust roller bearing include;

• Has capability to support large thrust loads.
• It can support loads in either a singular or bidirectional double depending on the loads.
• Useful in high-speed applications.
• They are quiet during operation because they generate low noise levels.
• Their operation is smooth.
• They have lower wear compared to standard bearings.

The main disadvantage of a thrust roller bearing is that they are mainly utilized in supporting axial loads. Consequently, there is only minimal accommodation to radial loads.

• Thrust roller bearings cost more compared to the other bearings.
• Greater precision is required in lubrication.

What Are The Main Differences Between A Normal Ball Bearing And A Thrust Roller bearing?

 

Normal ball bearings are usually spherical units used to provide low-friction movement for a bushing or bearing block. 

The arrangement of bearing race rings is different for a ball and thrust roller bearings. 

The significant distinction between the two is the contact surface. This is the area uniting the rail and the bearing. 

Assuming a standard ball bearing without deformation, the contact surface is a single point. 

When you account for deformation, the ball’s contact surface and the rail are limited, which creates the inherent strength limit for the balls.

This can cause compression at high loads and jamming of the block.

The line of contact for roller bearings is different, significantly increasing the system’s stability, rigidity, and maximum load capacity.

Roller bearings can be adjusted easily compared to ball bearings.

Thrust bearings accommodate larger loads when in comparison to other types of ball bearing.

The thrust roller bearing is larger and lighter, except for the needle bearing than ball bearings for the same working load.

Comparison of plain, ball, and roller bearing

Structural differences of ball bearing and thrust roller bearing

What Are The Main Uses Of A Thrust Roller Bearing?

The most common application of thrust roller bearings is the motor vehicle industry.

The purpose is to support axial loads while increasing smoothness and aiding in noise reduction.

One commonly used thrust bearing type in cars is the clutch release bearing.

Another application is in radio antenna masts, where thrust bearings significantly limit the antenna rotator load.

Other applications of thrust roller bearings include:

• Jacks, cranes, and low-speed reducers use thrust roller bearings that are cylindrical in nature.
• Tapered roller bearings are widely used in automobiles, rolling mills, truck wheel hubs, mining, metallurgy, and plastic machinery industries.
• Textile machinery utilizes the needle roller bearing.
• Useful in industrial appliances such as in coal mills, pushing machines, molding machines, propeller shafts for ships, vertical motors, hydroelectric generators, screw-down speed reducers, jib cranes, the spherical rollers thrust bearings can be used in

They are also popular in marine and aircraft applications.

Contact LLG Bearing for superior quality thrust roller bearings. Our professional team will assist you through the whole process.

What Are The Various Types Of Thrust Roller Bearing?

There are two groups of thrust ball bearings:

1. Rolling bearings
2. Sliding bearings

Thrust washers are long-wearing flat bearings transmitting and resolving axial forces in rotating mechanisms to ensure components remain aligned along a shaft.

A thrust washer

The various types of rolling thrust bearings include:

• Needle thrust roller bearings – They provide a high degree of stiffness within a minimum axial space. They also have a higher load-bearing capacity and can use mating surfaces as inner or outer raceways, or both.
• Cylindrical thrust roller bearings – Smaller cylindrical roller variations are called needle roller bearings. They are cheap and have good loading capacity but are more prone to wear than ball bearings
• Tapered roller thrust bearings- This type is typically made to accommodate axial loads. Additionally, the support for axial loads is bidirectional. The rollers are tapered in shape and are arranged to meet at a position in the axis.
• Spherical roller thrust bearings – They have the highest loading capacity. They consist of asymmetrical rollers that are spherical. 
• Fluid film thrust bearings – They utilize a pressurized fluid to support the resultant axial thrust. 
• Magnetic thrust bearings – The magnetic field the bearing generates supports the load on the axial. They are applicable in high-speed devices, such as advanced flywheels.

Needle thrust roller bearing

Tapered roller thrust bearing

Cylindrical roller thrust bearings

Fluid film thrust roller bearings

How Should You Choose Thrust Roller Bearing?

 

The most important consideration is the purpose of the bearing, life/durability, and the load rating or the carrying capacity.

Based on the fundamental requirements, you should carefully consider the following when selecting a thrust roller bearing;

Materials – Durability, and lifespan of the bearing are dependent on the material quality of the thrust bearings.

Low carbon steels are standard, but high carbon-bearing quality steel or alloys can be used depending on the application.

You should choose suitable quality materials.

Operating specifications- They determine the performance of the selected bearing. When choosing a thrust bearing, consider factors such as the rated speed and maximum thrust loads.

Such factors will influence bearing fatigue and lifespan.

 Standards – Industrial guidelines will show the precision and efficiency of bearings. Therefore, RBEC (Roller Bearing Engineering Committee) is one of the expected standards. 

You should select thrust bearings that are within acceptable levels of the RBEC scale. Other standards also apply, such as https://standards.globalspec.com/std/10159358/a-a-52414.

What Are The Main Differences Between Thrust Roller Bearing And Radial Bearings?

The main difference between the two types is the type of loads supported by each system. 

Radial bearings carry radial loads that load, acting perpendicular (90 degrees) to the rotation axis. In contrast, thrust roller bearings support large thrust/axial loads parallel to the rotation axis.

Some types of thrust roller bearings, to an extent, support minimal radial load.

What Are The Different Sizes Of Thrust Roller Bearings?

The available sizes for the different thrust bearings are usually presented in a size chart.

The size is determined using the boundary dimensions, which vary for the different thrust roller bearings. 

ISO standardizes all boundary dimensions for thrust bearings

Each bearing has a bearing code and number based on its type, shape, or series.

The principal dimensions are usually presented as:

d- bore diameter

D- outside diameter

H- Nominal height

For spherical roller thrust bearings, the bore diameter mostly ranges between 60-300mm.

Bearing tables for the thrust roller bearings can be accessed online.

How To Easily Measure A Thrust Roller Bearing

A thrust roller bearing measurement is made in terms of its diameters and width, which define its size.

You can easily measure the size of a roller bearing using Vernier Calipers to obtain dimensions in mm or inches.

For bore diameter, insert the outer anvils of the caliper into the bore, then open the caliper until the bearing and caliper fit perfectly. Read the scale.

For the outer diameter, fit the caliper on the bearing diameter. Again, it is paramount that you ensure the jaws of the caliper hold firmly onto the bearing. This will ensure you get an accurate reading from the caliper.

You should be careful not to tighten the calipers too much to avoid errors in the readings.

Repeat the same procedure for the width.

A ruler or a micrometer screw gauge may also be used.

Most thrust bearings will have a bearing number which is the unique identifier for their type, size, and general uses.

Micrometer screw gauge to measure bearings

Using Vernier calipers to measure bearings

What Is The Process Of Assembling A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Thrust roller bearings are separable. Therefore, it is possible to mount and dismount some parts like the cages, housing washers, roller, and shaft. 

The housings support the thrust roller bearing inside and transmit the loads from the shaft to the surrounding machine structure.

You need first to ensure that the necessary parts, tools, equipment, and data are available.

To avoid exposure and contaminants, leave the bearing packed. This is until you are ready to assemble and mount your thrust bearing.

Each package provides mounting instructions. 

The assembly area should be dust and moisture-free.

You should inspect the housings, seal, shafts, and other components of the thrust bearing-shaft-housing system before mounting.

The dimensional and geometrical tolerances of each component should be checked for compatibility.

Avoid striking the components directly with hard objects to force-fit. In case of an interference fit, use light oil.

When mounting the inner ring assembly and the shaft into the housing containing the outer ring, careful alignment is required to avoid scoring the raceways and rolling elements.

For cylindrical or needle roller bearings made of an inner ring without flanges or flange on one side only, a guiding sleeve should be used.

A guiding sleeve for mounting cylindrical thrust roller bearings

A bearing fitting tool

What Are The Processes Of Dismounting A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Some of the dismounting methods are:

– Manual dismounting

– Dismounting using Hydraulic Assisted Tools

– Dismounting by Oil Injection

– Dismounting using heat

You can remove a bearing mechanically from the cylindrical shaft using the following steps.

1. Clamping the puller to configure it on the bearing properly.
2. Turn the puller’s knot to ensure the puller’s grip is firm.
3. Before fixing the handle to the puller, you need to lock the puller.
4. Loosen the bearing by wrenching the handle onto the puller
5. Dismount your bearing gently.

Some of the tools used to dismount thrust bearings include hammers, pullers, oil injectors, stop nuts, induction heaters, etc.

How Do You Preload A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Preloading is done to give a clearance allowance to keep the bearings internally stressed.

Based on their design, thrust roller bearings can be preloaded axially or on a horizontal shaft. 

The amount of the preload employed should be carefully determined, considering the operating conditions and the purpose of the preload.

Applying excessive preload can result in increased heat, fatigue, and torque, while insufficient preload can allow resonant vibration, causing fretting of the raceways.

Some of the standard methods of preloading thrust roller bearings are position preloading or constant pressure preloading.

Position preloading involves fixing two axially opposed bearings. 

It can be done using three methods:

• Use a spacer that has been configured for preloading.
• Use of bolts and nuts that can tolerate adjustments to the preload in the axial direction.
• Use compatible bearing with which is already adjusted for the preloading.

Contact pressure preloading method involves utilizing a diaphragm spring or a coil spring to enforce a constant preload.

For applications that require high rigidity, use positional preloading.

On the other hand,  for high rotational speed, contact pressure preloading is the best. This is also helpful in vibration prevention for thrust bearings on horizontal shafts and setting the axial direction.

Some of the benefits of preloading thrust roller bearings include keeping rolling elements in the correct position relative to the raceway and improving gear engagement accuracy in cars by increasing bearing rigidity.

How To Determine If Your Thrust Roller Bearing Is Worn Out?

Maintenance and periodic inspection will help to ensure that the bearings in use are in good condition.

Bearing wear is not always directly related to material fatigue. For example, entry of a foreign matter or corrosion can also cause the wearing of thrust bearings.

A proper physical examination of the fitting surfaces, raceways, rolling contact surfaces, cages, and seals should be done before reusing a thrust roller bearing.

A worn-out thrust roller bearing will have the following:

• The bearing unit may have cracks and chips.
• You may see flaking on the rolling contact and raceway surfaces.

Due to rolling fatigue, flaking occurs and can be seen on the rolling element or raceways surface.

It can be caused by inaccuracy in the shaft and housing or improper mounting.

Advanced flaking can cause cracking and requires immediate replacement.

You can contact our professional team to help you out in terms of determining and replacing your bearings.

What Are The Materials Used To Construct Thrust Roller Bearing?

Different materials can be used to make different components of the thrust roller bearing. 

The material used to make the rolling elements, the washers, and the cages can be different.

Chrome steel is the core material for rolling elements and washers.

It has an excellent wear-resistant capacity and, upon heat treatment, achieves suitable levels of hardness.

The major disadvantage, however, is that they can be prone to corrosion.

Standardized cages are made from brass. Pressed cages are used for higher load applications. Other common materials for cages are:

• stamped or laser-cut sheet steel
• stamped or machined brass
• machined steel

The use of ceramics and polymer is a rising technology in the manufacture of thrust roller bearings.

In manufacturing large volumes of cylindrical roller thrust bearings, stamped sheet metal is preferred for the cages, while brass and machined steel are considered for smaller volumes.

The material selected depends on the specific application and the use case.

Heat treatment and thermal stabilization are necessary when steel is used to achieve the required hardness of the bearings.

Some of the other key factors considered when selecting materials to meet the application requirements for thrust roller bearing include:

– The metal used should be hard and strong enough to prevent creep. In addition, it should handle fatigue appropriately and resist any impact.

Should You Lubricate A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Lubrication is a necessity in thrust roller bearings for efficient operation.

Lubricants help reduce friction between elements and play a vital role in reducing excess heat buildup, which could cause surface degradation.

A proper lubricant provides a load-bearing film between the washers and rolling elements, thus minimizing wear.

High-precision bearings such as the thrust roller bearing require quality, clean and fresh lubricant, which should be applied using the proper lubrication procedures.

Some of the bearing types may be pre-lubricated. However, for a relubricate bearings, a regular relubricating interval is crucial.

You should do regular inspection and checking of the lubricant to ensure lubricant efficiency.

Using an accurate calculation of the practical grease lifetime will give the minimum quantity lubrication (MQL) to achieve adequate performance.

What The Best Choice Of Lubricant To Use For A Thrust Roller Bearing?

Proper use of the right choice of lubricant will help cut down costs related to bearing failures caused by improper use of lubricant.

Lithium-based mineral oils and greases are the best lubricants for thrust roller bearings.

Greases with high oil bleeding are more commonly used since they contain thickeners and additives thickeners that sustain the lubrication layer for a longer time than oils.

However, oils, both mineral and synthetic, have a lower viscosity, hence imparts less drag than grease.

Continuous lubrication is achieved using either single point or multipoint automatic lubricators.

To minimize the friction that occurs between the moving and parts in contact (rolling element and the rings), an appropriate lubricant

Manufacturers will normally provide the speed limits for the lubricants (grease and oil) in a specification table.

Over greasing can result in the rollers churning the grease, which results in energy loss and rising temperatures.

Lubricated rolling elements

How Much Axial Load Can A Thrust Roller Bearing Carry?

Thrust roller bearings have high axial rigidity and can support large thrust loads.

A minimum load requires each roller bearing type to be applied for stable operation at high speeds to prevent damage to internal components. 

The table below shows the formula to compute the minimum axial loads for each type of thrust roller bearing.

Minimum loads for the different thrust roller bearings

What Are The Processes Involved In The Production Of Thrust Roller Bearing?

The production process of thrust roller elements has three key processes involving joinery and assembly of the parts.

These are the manufacture of washers, rolling elements, and the cages as well as any other accessories.

The rolling elements’ crucial steps are:

• Green Machining – It involves feeding the tested material into a screw machine for cutting the various diameters of the rings/ washers.

Rings beyond 8 inches are forged.

• Heat treatment involves heating to requirements, soaking at the same temperature then cooling to achieve the required hardness (Rockwell C 58-62).

Multiple quenching and tempering cycles are employed to achieve dimensional stability.

• Grinding- It is done to achieve the precision dimensional tolerances required.
• Assembly and Cleaning
• Inspection 

Whether pressed or machined, the retainers or cages are manufactured using ribbon/strip design by cutting separately from a stamped steel sheet then joining the two halves.

A technician Installing a thrust roller bearing

What Kind Of Loads Does Thrust Roller Bearings Support?

Generally, all thrust roller bearings are unsuitable for pure radial loads.

Thrust roller bearings support axial loads, though some types support large axial loads and minimal radial loads.

For instance, spherical roller thrust bearings accommodate dynamic loads (radial and axial loads) in one direction.

Tapered roller bearings can also reasonably support combined loads.

Cylindrical roller thrust bearings cannot support combined loads.

 

Do thrust roller bearing self-align?

Thrust roller bearings have self-aligning capabilities.

A spherical roller bearing is best suited for handling severe misalignment between the housing bore and bearing shaft.

How Spherical Roller Thrust Bearing Achieve Self-Alignment

Spherical rollers have a spherical surface. It is located around where the housing raceway plate coincides and aligns with the bearing’s center. The bearing corresponds to rolling elements utilizing a barrel form roller. Consequently, they can therefore sustain self-alignment.

Thrust roller bearings misalignments are mainly a result of bent shafts, out-of-square shaft shoulders, bearing seats that are not the same height, out-of-square spacers, out-of-square clamping nuts, or improper installation due to loosed fits.

They have different allowable aligning angles depending on the type.

 

What Is An Easy Way To Find The Thrust Roller Bearing Number?

The bearing series code is a standard table featuring all bearing codes applicable across industries.

A thrust roller bearing number has six characters where 4 are digits, and 2 are alphabets.

The bearing series demonstrates the strength and toughness of a bearing.

The first number is a representation of the bearing type.

The second digit demonstrates the bearing series code.

The following numbers (third and fourth) represent bore size, while the last two letters represent the Sealing/ Cage.

 

How To Check The Clearance Of A Thrust Roller Bearing

Internal clearance of thrust roller bearings is crucial in maintaining a reasonable operating temperature, obtaining proper machine operation, and optimizing the bearing lifespan.

The main methods of bearing clearance measurement are

1.  special instrument measurement, 
2. simple measurement 
3. feeler measurement. 

One suitable method for the measurement of radial clearance of large cylindrical roller bearings is the feeler gauge measurement.

To obtain the clearance, you need to measure the initial clearance followed by the radial clearance and compare the two.

To determine the minimum radial clearance of a bearing, a large feeler gauge is utilized. Pass the rollers in the radial position so that you can measure the initial clearance.

The minimum thickness of the feeler blade that cannot pass through three consecutive rollers is noted as the minimum bearing radial clearance measurement.

The arithmetic mean of the maximum and minimum clearance values ​​is taken as the bearing radial clearance value.

The values obtained using the feeler gauge measurement allow for errors, including the thickness tolerance of the feeler gauge.

A thrust roller bearing with internal clearance

How To Easily Ship Thrust Roller Bearing?

You have to identify a reliable manufacturer or supplier from whom you purchase the thrust roller bearings.

With the market flooded with suppliers, it is very easy to obtain counterfeit products or, worse, pay for the order and have the suppliers failing to deliver your bearings.

Reputable suppliers have the necessary certifications and licenses.

There is also an assurance of obtaining quality bearings. 

LLG Bearing manufacturers are reliable suppliers of high-quality bearings.

Upon placing an order and making the payment, the processing is done, and goods are released from the factory. The supplier can link you with their usual shipping firms to deliver your goods within a short period.

You can track your goods in transit. 

With reliable shipping firms, insurances are necessary as a safety measure for risks such as accidents or loss.

 

What Kind Of Cages Are Adopted For Thrust Roller Bearing?

During operation, cages are mechanically stressed by frictional, impact, centrifugal, and inertial forces.

Materials that make up the cage contribute to how your bearing performs. Consequently, you should give it proper considerations when selecting.

Some of the ordinary cages for thrust roller bearings are: 

• Machined brass cage -They are manufactured from non-alloyed structural steel and can be surface-treated to improve sliding and wear resistance.
• Prestressed steel cages 
• Brass cages are considered due to their ability to withstand common bearing lubricants and ordinary organic solvents.
• Polyamide polymer cages – Special grades of polyamide material are considered with or without glass fiber reinforcement to deliver a strong unit. The use is, however, limited depending on the application.

LLG bearings also offer you high-quality cages. Contact us; we have stock to meet all your requirements.