Monthly Archives: April 2019

Bearings are used in many different kinds of machinery and vehicles, including cars. In fact, bearings can be found in some shape or form within various parts of your car, making sure it runs just as it should and is safe and roadworthy. They can be found in many different parts of the car, most often in the wheels, where their main job is to allow the wheels to spin around as they should without causing friction. They will have an axle shaft, that sits inside a hub, which also contains bolts that join the steering wheel to the wheels. You see, bearings form some of the most important mechanisms within the modern-day car. In particular, bearing inserts have an important role to play, and due to the extended inner rings, they don’t require lock nuts or bearing adaptor sleeves.

You might also hear bearing inserts being called Y-bearings. This will largely depend on the industry. Some people will call them bearing inserts, and others will simply be more comfortable with the term Y-bearings. If you are buying bearings online, be aware that both descriptions refer to the same thing.

Using the right bearing will depend on the way the bearing is located on the shaft, with different applications requiring a different bearing to hold it together and make it function safely and effectively. Some bearing inserts will using an eccentric locking collar, and others will be fitted to the shaft with grub screws. Some are tapered to allow for an adaptor sleeve for a preferred size.

How do you know you might need new bearings?

It’s not always immediately obvious when you need new bearings on a particular part of your machinery or vehicle. Often it will stop working in the way it should, indicating that something needs to be repaired or changed. However, it shouldn’t really get to this stage before you replace a bearing – you could be in danger or something happening like losing a wheel, which could have dangerous and even devastating consequences. Regular inspections should be able to tell you whether you need to replace bearing inserts and whether your car is safe to be on the road.

Buying the exact bearing inserts you need

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of bearing products on the market, and even many bearing inserts. This makes it more challenging to buy the exact bearings you require for your vehicle or machinery application. It is becoming easier to get hold of parts though, mainly thanks to the internet and the advanced suppliers that are out there selling bearings and bearing inserts. You can find bearing suppliers across the internet and many will have high quality bearings available that can be bought in many different shapes and sizes. This also means there are knowledgeable people selling the bearings, who can answer any of your questions and point you in the direction of wheel bearings, bearings and bearing inserts that you will need for the safe and effective operation of your vehicle.