Self-Aligning Bearings

Self-Aligning Bearings are predominately used to solve misalignment issues.

Misalignment is when the shaft is not at a “right angle” to the bearing or, an off-square mounting condition due to the position of the shaft or housing. If a standard bearing is misaligned the rolling elements do not track correctly but veer from side to side in the raceways, causing overloading, overheating and usually breaks the cage. It’s these situations when it’s difficult to accurately hold alignment when self-aligning bearings are an obvious choice.

Double row self-aligning ball bearings are “internally aligning” bearings. They are similar to double row ball bearings except the outer ring has a spherical ground raceway which permits the two rows of balls to pick up a true running position, even if the rings are twisted out of alignment.

Self-Aligning Double Row Ball Bearings come in three numeric series which represent the maximum specified degree of misalignment and loads:

  • 1200 Series – Can be misaligned 2.5°
  • 1300 Series – Can be misaligned 3.0°
  • 2200 Series – Can be misaligned 2.5° but has higher load ratings is and wider than the 1200 Series

Spherical Bearings are another form of self aligning bearings. More information on these can be found on the Spherical bearings page.

Need Assistance Selecting the correct Self Aligning Bearings?

If you need assistance selecting the right bearings for your particular application, please give us a call and talk to one of our knowledgeable staff. We’re here to help and problem solve for you.