Big Bearings

[KRS1]

I came across these huge bearings and was wondering what they could possibly have come from, they were close to 1 foot in diameter.

They looked like a really big version of a common sealed wheel bearing.

What could this monstrosity have possibly been intended for?

[MikeyIdea]

Propeller axis bearings?

Edited July 23, 2010 by MikeyIdea

[WarpSpeed]

large electric motors use much the same bearings as cars and trucks wheels..Such as wind powered generators for example..

Edited July 23, 2010 by WarpSpeed

[Naam]

I came across these huge bearings and was wondering what they could possibly have come from, they were close to 1 foot in diameter.

1 foot diameter is huge? look at this marine diesel and the size of the mechanic as well as the crankshaft extension!

Edited July 23, 2010 by Naam

[Garry]

Edited July 23, 2010 by Garry

[Garry]

I came across these huge bearings and was wondering what they could possibly have come from, they were close to 1 foot in diameter.

1 foot diameter is huge? look at this marine diesel and the size of the mechanic as well as the crankshaft extension!

Only a paultry 90,000 shaft horsepower and It's a 2 stroke as well

You shoud find a picture of the pistons, not exactly what the average joe would recognise

LINK: http://mrec.rotary.net.nz/articles/du-sulzer_12rta96c.htm

Edited July 23, 2010 by Garry

[VocalNeal]

Been there, done that, and have fallen in the crankcase

Not when it was running i hasten to add. Although legend says that is a form of marine suicide. Open a crankcase door and step in.

[Garry]

Been there, done that, and have fallen in the crankcase

Not when it was running i hasten to add. Although legend says that is a form of marine suicide. Open a crankcase door and step in.

Well, that would certainly test the oil filters and piss off the maintenance techs no end

Edited July 23, 2010 by Garry

[Lickey]

I would say Warpspeed is right, The OP did say sealed bearings, all the others in the pics [ok, big bearings] are all oil fed or splash lubricated,

The only place you will find sealed bearings on an engine is the Power steering pump, Alternator, AC pump,water pump,spigot shaft in the flywheel,starter motor ect,

So yes, probaly a bearing for a big electric motor, or even a brg for a track powered 360,

[WarpSpeed]

So you picked up on that too, score another one for comprehension... On the flip side though I think most are just poking at the suggestion that bearings in general don't come in that size and showing otherwise... But yes for me the key was the mention of being sealed which prompted my thinking of similar applications and not necessarily automotive..

Maybe something like this might have a power steering, water pump or other that would possibly need a sealed bearing of that diameter..

Edited July 24, 2010 by WarpSpeed

[Garry]

I would say Warpspeed is right, The OP did say sealed bearings, all the others in the pics [ok, big bearings] are all oil fed or splash lubricated,

The only place you will find sealed bearings on an engine is the Power steering pump, Alternator, AC pump,water pump,spigot shaft in the flywheel,starter motor ect,

So yes, probaly a bearing for a big electric motor, or even a brg for a track powered 360,

So you picked up on that too, score another one for comprehension... On the flip side though I think most are just poking at the suggestion that bearings in general don't come in that size and showing otherwise... But yes for me the key was the mention of being sealed which prompted my thinking of similar applications and not necessarily automotive..

Maybe something like this might have a power steering, water pump or other that would possibly need a sealed bearing of that diameter..

Oh relax guys, it was just a bit of poetic license to show off some big bearings

[WarpSpeed]

Did I not mention that?? Or is comprehension still an issue?

[KRS1]

oops my bad, it wasn't a sealed bearing. It just had the same shape and general form as you would see as a motorcycle's axle bearing. Much like the pictures above, but the inner race is smaller in proportion i'd say about a 5" inner race.

Only other thing is that they were being unloaded by the truckload and there were people taking them apart, cleaning them and rebuilding them.

I cant figure out what they're for.

train, 18 wheeler, etc..?

[WarpSpeed]

oops my bad, it wasn't a sealed bearing. It just had the same shape and general form as you would see as a motorcycle's axle bearing. Much like the pictures above, but the inner race is smaller in proportion i'd say about a 5" inner race.

Only other thing is that they were being unloaded by the truckload and there were people taking them apart, cleaning them and rebuilding them.

I cant figure out what they're for.

train, 18 wheeler, etc..?

Could still be a wheel bearing or something like that for equipment like the dumper pictured above..

[KRS1]

i was thinking they were bearings for those thai 10 wheel dumptrucks. But being open and not able to retain lube confuses me.

[Garry]

i was thinking they were bearings for those thai 10 wheel dumptrucks. But being open and not able to retain lube confuses me.

They may be encased in a housing, splash or pressure lubed.

[WarpSpeed]

i was thinking they were bearings for those thai 10 wheel dumptrucks. But being open and not able to retain lube confuses me.

Personally that seems a bit large for a truck that size but who knows? Only going on your description alone and that crossed me up once already....

^ Yes, wheel bearings for example are encased in the hub and a separate, independent, pressed in seal that encases them so they retain the heavy grease...

Edited July 26, 2010 by WarpSpeed

[VocalNeal]

Been there, done that, and have fallen in the crankcase

Not when it was running i hasten to add. Although legend says that is a form of marine suicide. Open a crankcase door and step in.

Well, that would certainly test the oil filters and piss off the maintenance techs no end

Sorry Garry no filters they use centrifugal separators. Might gum up the plates a but tho.Although on reflection the clothing could plug the drain at least in the relevant cylinder.

Edited July 26, 2010 by VocalNeal

[Lickey]

Way to big for a road going truck, Thailands 40 tonners would have a brg size of max outside, 8in, and inside 2.5in, I regulary drove and maintained a 68ton low loader on road planing jobs, total of 7 axles, 24 wheels, the more weight, more axles, and all hubs would have taper roller brgs, for adjustment as ness, and 1 seal on the inside of the hub, to keep the grease in ,

Did you notice if these large brgs were taper roller or just plain ball OP?

And i wonder why they were de-waxing them? perhaps some old stock where the preservative wax had melted off? or they had an imediate use for them,

Another possible could be for a water pumping station, as a support [pressure fed] pedastal for the propshaft to the pump, we used similar in the UK, on the fens, a few years ago, i replaced a brg that was 69 years old, pressure fed ball race, I asked the boss man, and as records state, it was the first time they had a brg problem, I asked him how many litres a minute do the 5 engines shift? he laughed, he said you tell me boy!!, last time we tested, it was 200 tons per engine/pump per minute, and as far as i know, the other 4 engines prop brgs are ok,

Sorry for getting carried away there, perhaps im missing the above?

Interesting thread, could do with more like this,,,,

[KRS1]

Way to big for a road going truck, Thailands 40 tonners would have a brg size of max outside, 8in, and inside 2.5in, I regulary drove and maintained a 68ton low loader on road planing jobs, total of 7 axles, 24 wheels, the more weight, more axles, and all hubs would have taper roller brgs, for adjustment as ness, and 1 seal on the inside of the hub, to keep the grease in ,

Did you notice if these large brgs were taper roller or just plain ball OP?

And i wonder why they were de-waxing them? perhaps some old stock where the preservative wax had melted off? or they had an imediate use for them,

Another possible could be for a water pumping station, as a support [pressure fed] pedastal for the propshaft to the pump, we used similar in the UK, on the fens, a few years ago, i replaced a brg that was 69 years old, pressure fed ball race, I asked the boss man, and as records state, it was the first time they had a brg problem, I asked him how many litres a minute do the 5 engines shift? he laughed, he said you tell me boy!!, last time we tested, it was 200 tons per engine/pump per minute, and as far as i know, the other 4 engines prop brgs are ok,

Sorry for getting carried away there, perhaps im missing the above?

Interesting thread, could do with more like this,,,,

There were all kinds, both roller and tapered roller and maybe spherical, i was looking for a wide untappered inner race so i remember this well. The width of the race is about 1.5".

I bought one of the inner races for an electric outrunner motor i'm making, i figured this would be better than pipe since it would hold the magnetic flux better do to thickness.

They were being unloaded literally by the truckload, tried to ask the guy where they came from or what they were used for but he wouldn't give it up. Since they came in truckloads unpackaged and all greasy, im pretty sure they were for use for something within thailand, and not imported for refurbishment.

Wondering what these could've come from in such large numbers. You couldn't even walk through the room, you had to literally step over mounds of them on the floor and try not to slip and fall do to all the oil on the floor. It was like sometype of oversized bearing graveyard.

They were reselling them, which confuses me again, because they weren't replacing any rollers, just cleaning them and reselling. i guess they weren't meant for precision purposes.

[VocalNeal]

Stacker/reclaimers use large bearing and don't have forced lubrication

But there are probably 100 uses.

[Lickey]

As in Vocals pic above, big machinery would have sealed brgs, or a grease nipple or even an Autolube system powered by electric and would pump thin grease through small bore pipes,many 80/90s HGVs had this, but mainly for spring shackles, king pins, steering joints, gear ghange linkage ect, but no effective way for propshafts and the like, all hand pumped grease,,

A few hints and tips on bearings, if you pressure wash your motorbike, try not to wash too much near the wheel centre, sealed brgs have a tiny air gap allowing for heat expansion and pressure washing will wash the grease out of the brg,

If its easy to remove the brg, wash in parrafin or diesel, hold inner race, turn outer race, if any notchines is felt, look inside the brg for pitting, both inner and outer races,

Insitu test, put bike on centre stand, get front wheel in the air, wiggle brake caliper till there is no brake drag on disc, spin wheel, put hand on fork leg, if you can feel any vibe atall, brg is on the way out,

Car/pick-up, non driven wheels, jack up the wheel, kick the rubber near brake calliper a few times, this should push the pads back to allow the wheelto free spin, do the same test, turn wheel and feel for vibes,

Cheers all, Lickey,