To check for leaks, Hendrickson advises technicians to look at the inboard side of the hub. "A small amount of lubricant may be visible at the hub seal. This is a normal occurrence and does not indicate a seal leak," the company says. Lubricant also may be uncovered at the spindle bearing shoulder to hub joint, which also does not guarantee a seal leak. Hendrickson this area should be wiped clean post inspection to remove dirt and other contaminants.

What is ball bearingused for

SKF adds that when inspecting the hub, technicians also should check for broken fasteners and bolts, cracks in the hub housing, damage to hub and bore. "If the bearing cup is loose in the hub, this indicates a serious condition and the hub must be replaced," the company says.

The average household in the United States has at least fifteen different appliances that utilize bearings, and that is a conservative estimate. Ball bearings are used in refrigerators, air conditioning units, ovens, dishwashers, generators, washing and drying machines, microwaves, blenders, ceiling fans, vacuum cleaners, food processors, and even in kitchen or bathroom drawers. If you live in a household in the U.S., it is likely that you are surrounded by bearings every day.

Ball bearingexamples

Beyond typical household appliances, a multitude of personal devices also contain bearings. This can include DVD players, computer fans, gaming consoles, exercise equipment, ATMs, and more. Even though you may not directly interact with bearings often, you rely on them during most regular tasks. If you use any electrical device, there is a good chance it utilizes a ball bearing. Even in more rudimentary items, such as a barstool or a yo-yo, ball bearings are used to facilitate rotational movement.

Manufacturers state when a leak is uncovered or appears likely, a technician should begin a service event by shutting down the vehicle, chocking the wheels and supporting the vehicle on stands. Hendrickson states to remove the dust shield inspection grommets to inspect brake linings for oil and grease. The company says with smaller leaks, technicians also will be required to perform a complete removal of the brake dust shields for proper inspection.

Rollerbearing

Even if you do not see ball bearings day to day, they are a vital part of practical life. As an average citizen in the United States, you probably use hundreds of bearings every day in your regular activities, without even noticing.

When disassembling a wheel end, SKF states that technicians should check the condition of hubcap, flange, window and centerfill plug. They also should check bolts and axle flange area on drive axle. After removing the hubcap, the company adds techs should check the condition of the lubricant.

Ball bearingdiagram

The following was published in CCJ's Equipment Maintenance Toolkit, 8th edition, sponsored by Valvoline Heavy Duty. CCJ's Equipment Maintenance Toolkit is a complementary industry resource, courtesy of our partnership with Valvoline Heavy Duty. You can download the entire Toolkit here.

Ball bearingtypes

While ball bearings may not seem like an integral part of your daily life, they are likely quite important to most of your everyday activities. Although the term “ball bearing” tends to bring ideas like aerospace engineering and industrial equipment to mind, these bearings are used in any kind of application that needs to reduce friction on a rotating component. The most widely used types of ball bearings are used by the vast majority of the population in common devices that are heavily relied upon in daily life.

SKF states cloudy or milky lubricant indicates water in the system, shiny indicates bearing wear, metal flakes present could indicate loose shavings from an axle component, grit and sand indicates lube contamination, and burnt smells indicates overheating.

A properly functioning wheel-end hub is essential to all medium- and heavy-duty truck and trailer brake systems. Which means when a hub begins to leak, the outcome if untreated can quickly become catastrophic.

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"If a hub seal is leaking, a large quantity of lubricant will be present," Hendrickson states. "Oil or grease may be spattered on the dust shield, brake shoes or brake drum. If this is the case, the seal and other components will need to be replaced."

Another thing to look at is the proper venting of the wheel end, STEMCO says. All wheel ends generate heat and when this occurs it will result in pressure in the wheel end, the company says. "If this pressure has no way to vent through the hubcap vent or axle vent then the wheel seal is likely to start leaking due to the excessive amount of pressure."

"Major leaks can be obvious, as it will cause lubricant to coat brake surfaces and the inside of the wheel assemblies," Hendrickson states.

What is ball bearingin friction

What is ball bearingmade of

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While this may go a bit beyond your direct everyday life, bearings used in manufacturing processes and a variety of industries are necessary to bring you all of the products you’ve ever used. In food processing, production of plastic and paper products, and almost every imaginable consumer good, ball bearings are required in the manufacturing equipment. The agricultural industry uses a wide variety of ball bearings in all kinds of equipment, which is used to produce, package, and ship all of the food we consume. Bearings in construction equipment are used to build all of the houses and buildings we live and work in.

Next, SKF indicates techs should check the condition of the fastening system, then remove the outer bearing and inspect it for signs of damage. A hub assembly spindle can then be evaluated to look for thread and chamfer damage, and the bearings should be set aside for further separate inspection, SKF notes.

"We often see this in new seals that we test every day," the company says. "This seepage is most likely a result of grease pre]lube escaping from a newly installed seal. Our factory places this grease pre-lube into the seal upon assembly to reduce the frictional heat generation upon seal 'run-in.' If the visible seepage extends well out onto the hub and is quite damp, then the seal may be leaking and should be replaced at the first opportunity."

Hendrickson says hub assemblies are filled with lubricant during production. On the inboard side, lubricant is contained in the hub by the hub seal. Hendrickson states this is where leaks will most commonly occur.

One of the most typical uses for ball bearings is within the transportation sector, as all methods of transportation (besides walking) rely on wheels or rotating components. One common use of ball bearings is in skateboard and bicycle wheels; similarly, they are also found in unicycles and tricycles, and any other application utilizing the rotation of a wheel. In automated vehicles, ball bearings are absolutely essential. The minimum number of bearings within a car is estimated at 36, while most models contain more. They are used for the gearbox, wheels, engine, transmission, AC compressor, suspension, and more. As you can imagine, they are also vital for airplane construction, and any other type of vehicle, such as motorcycles, tractors, and construction vehicles.

But oil seals are not the only root causes of leaks, SKF adds. "If you look, you will find that leaking wheel ends leave clues pointing to which component or components are the culprits," the company states, adding sometimes a tech "may find that just changing the seal may not be your permanent solution."