Home / Product / Roller Bearings / Spherical Roller Thrust Bearings

Spherical Roller Thrust Bearings

Spherical roller thrust bearings are engineered to handle high axial loads and moderate radial loads while accommodating misalignment. These bearings are commonly used in heavy machinery, marine applications, and industrial equipment. Their robust design ensures reliable performance and long service life, even in the most demanding environments.

1 / 1355

Expert in Axial Load under Complex Operating Conditions

Spherical roller thrust bearings, are one of the crucial components in modern industry.

Unlike standard thrust roller bearings, the rolling elements of spherical roller thrust bearings are not cylindrical or spherical but more like slightly over-inflated cylinders. This barrel-shaped rolling element enables spherical roller thrust bearings to handle more complex operating conditions more flexibly: while withstanding huge axial loads and relatively high radial loads, they can tolerate a certain degree of misalignment.

Outstanding Self-Adjusting Ability

One of the most notable features of spherical roller bearings is their excellent self-aligning ability. This can be understood as follows: the shapes of their rolling elements and raceways are meticulously designed, allowing for a certain degree of error and misalignment within the scope of this meticulous design.

Compared with standard cylindrical roller thrust bearings, the latter has limited compensation capacity for deflection. Excessive deflection can cause the rollers to deform, with forces concentrated on the edges, leading to premature bearing failure. Therefore, the tolerance conditions for the use of cylindrical roller thrust bearings are relatively strict, and the installation requirements are higher. However, spherical roller bearings can handle such problems well, reducing installation costs and enhancing durability, giving them a unique advantage in the market.

The Ideal Choice for Industrial Machinery

Spherical roller thrust bearings are widely used in various heavy – duty and misalignment – prone industrial machinery due to their unique structural advantages. Some typical application scenarios include:

Hydroelectric generators and vertical motors: They can withstand huge axial loads.
Propeller shafts in ships: They handle complex axial thrusts.
Gearboxes and Reducer: They deal with axial forces generated during transmission.
Vibrating machinery: Such as vibrating screens and road rollers, can compensate for misalignment caused by vibration.
Material handling equipment: They ensure smooth operation under heavy loads.

These spherical roller thrust bearing applications fully demonstrate the unique value in dealing with complex working conditions and high loads.

Have a Question?

SPEAK WITH AN EXPERIENCED TEAM MEMBER

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use it to replace the cylindrical roller thrust bearing?

If there is a certain radial load requirement and installation alignment is difficult, then replacement can be considered. However, it should be noted that the axial load that spherical roller thrust bearings can withstand is slightly lower than that of cylindrical roller thrust bearings. Before replacement, it is necessary to ensure that the new bearing's basic load rating, size, speed, temperature and other attributes are suitable.

If you need to select the bearing, you can use the filtering function on our product page or contact us. We will provide you with detailed parameters and suggestions for the bearing.

How much misalignment is allowed for spherical roller thrust bearings?

The allowable misalignment angle for general spherical roller thrust bearings is between 0.5° and 2°. It is generally recommended to keep the applied misalignment angle within 50% of the allowable range. For instance, if the allowable misalignment angle of a bearing is 1°, it is best to control it within 0.5° to avoid long-term operation at the maximum tilt angle, which may affect the bearing's lifespan.

If you need to know the allowable misalignment angle of a specific model of spherical roller thrust bearing, contact us.

Is the spherical roller thrust bearing a separable design?

Yes, most spherical roller thrust bearings are separable designs. With this design, users can install and disassemble the housing washer, shaft washer, rollers and cage separately, which is convenient for maintenance and inspection at any time.