After purchasing a bearing, you may need to choose a housing for it. Housings are frames that are designed to secure and support bearings. You can place a bearing inside of a housing. Once installed, the housing will allow the bearing to move while simultaneously protecting from it damage. What should you look for when choosing a bearing housing exactly?
Bushings
Bearing housings are available with and without bushings. Bushings are vibration isolators. They isolate and absorb the vibrations produced by the parts with which they are used. Some bearing housings feature a plastic bushing. As the connected part moves, the plastic bushing will isolate and absorb its vibrations. Regardless, some bearing housings have a bushing, whereas others don’t have a bushing.
Thermoplastic Polyester
Rather than choosing a bearing made of a traditional metal material, choose a bearing made of thermoplastic polyester. Thermoplastic polyester is a synthetic material. When compared to traditional metal materials like aluminum and steel, it offers several advantages. Thermoplastic polyester is durable, resistant to corrosion and offers excellent mechanical strength.
Maintenance Requirements
You may discover that some bearing housings require different steps to maintain than others. You may have to clean a bearing housing, for instance. Alternatively, you may have to lubricate it with oil. But there are also maintenance-free bearing housings. If you’re tired of constantly cleaning or lubricating your bearing housings, you may want to choose a maintenance-free bearing housing.
Flange vs Pillow Block
Bearing housings are available in different styles, such as flange and pillow block. Flange bearing housings are characterized by a flat design. Pillow block bearings, on the other hand, are characterized by an upright, vertical design. The hole in a pillow block bearing is vertical.
Fasteners
How many fasteners does it take to install the bearing housing? Most bearing housings support threaded fasteners for installation. You can drive a set of threaded fasteners through the bearing housing’s holes and into the underlying surface. Most bearing housings have two holes — one on each side — for threaded fasteners. But there are four-belt flange bearing housings that have four holes, meaning they support four threaded fasteners for installation.
Color
You can find bearing housings in different colors. Black is probably the most common color in which they are made. It offered a clean and modern appearance that matches most other parts. You can also find bearing housings in white, though. The color won’t affect the mechanics of a bearing housing, but it will affect the housing’s aesthetics. Therefore, you should choose a bearing housing in an appropriate color.