Nobody wants unexpected downtimes. Although bearing failures may seem to come out of nowhere, they usually provide hints before failing. Catching these hints early can allow you to schedule replacements during your planned maintenance, rather than deal with inconvenient emergency shutdowns, such as 3am on a Saturday.

1. Noise Changes

Bearings are made to create some noise. However, it is abnormal for a bearing to create new noise, such as grinding, squealing, or rhythmic knocking. Such noises usually signal contamination, such as dirt or metal particles, that are leaking into the bearing and destroying the races. Insufficient lubrication can also cause noise, as can using the wrong type of grease.

New noises of any kind should not be ignored; check the lubrication levels first since that is an easy fix. If the grease levels are fine and a noise persists, it may signal bearing damage. Replacing the bearing is better than waiting for it to become incomplete.

2. Vibration

Touch the machine housing near a bearing. If you feel the housing vibrating, the bearing is likely the cause. Zoning out the housing vibration should cause vibration to appear on the machine housing. Excessive vibration means excessive housing vibration. Mix theory voids usually mean the bearing needs to be replaced.

Vibration can destroy bearings. A bearing that is even slightly loose can damage the shaft, which ruins the replacement bearing. Before just replacing the bearing, always find the reason for the vibration.

3. Heat

Most bearings run warm, but if the heat is too extreme to touch, that is a problem. Common reasons can be too much grease (which causes drag and heat) or the bearing running too fast for its design.

Check the grease quantity and type. Some bearings need very little grease; others need regular relubrication. Manufacturer’s spec sheets also help to inform you of the design of your bearing.

4. Visible Contamination

If you can see debris, moisture, or pieces of metal near the bearing or in the grease, this is contamination is also getting in the bearing. Sealed bearings help, but the seals can also get damaged or just wear out. With contamination, it is grinding against the bearing surfaces.

Wash bearings with care, and check the seals. If the seals wear out, this can be the new entry point for dirt.

5. Reduced Performance

If a machine is operating slower than expected and drawing more power than it should, its performance is suffering. This can suggest problems with mechanical issues. Sometimes bearing problems show up as general performance problems.

Aging bearings may not be noisy or vibrate, but may be running rough or dragging.

What to do:

For essential machinery, obtain spare bearings. When something breaks down, it’s not very useful to have to wait three days for shipment. For same day shipment, we keep common sizes in stock, but for odd sizes or custom bearings, it’s a good idea to keep one in stock.

When you replace bearings, do it correctly. The leading cause of bearing failures in a system is bad installation. Ensure you have smooth, clean shafts and housings, suitable fits, and do not drive them on. Use proper tools.

Also, investigate the cause of the bearing’s failure. If the same bearing is replaced every six months, it means a part of the system lacks proper alignment, the wrong lubricant is used, the system is contaminated, or a bearing of the wrong type is used. If you don’t fix the root cause of the failure, you will keep replacing bearings.

You can avoid most bearing issues if you analyze the signs and implement a solution. Instead of following the schedule imposed by the failure, you can work on your own.