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12 Reasons Why Bearings Fail

Things break. No matter what you do, there is always a chance that products will fail. The
same holds true for bearings, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t prevent many of the issues
that result in costly downtime.

This article is a guide to the major factors that can lead to bearing failure as well as how you
can prevent the issues from happening. By learning more about these potential problems and
knowing how to stop them, you can get the most life out of your bearings and make your
application much stronger.
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1. Lubrication Failure
Understanding the Importance of Bearing
According to a recent study, up to 80 percent of bearing failures are caused by improper
Clearance
lubrication. This includes insuGcient lubrication, use of improper lubricants or excessive
temperatures that degrade the lubricant.
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What to Look for Run-out

Look for discolored rolling elements (such as blue or brown) and rolling-element tracks as well
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as overheating or excessive wear in the bearing.
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How to Fix it
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Use the appropriate type and correct amount of lubricant, avoid grease loss, and follow Manufacturing Process
appropriate relubrication intervals.

2. Contamination
Contamination is caused by foreign substances getting into bearing lubricants or cleaning
solutions. These include dirt, abrasive grit, dust, steel chips from contaminated work areas
and dirty hands or tools.

What to Look for

Watch for denting of rolling elements and raceways that cause vibration.

How to Fix it
Filter the lubricant and clean work areas, tools, Qxtures and hands to reduce the risk of
contamination.
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3. Improper Mounting
In most instances, bearings should be mounted with a press Qt on the rotating ring. Oil Analysis Alarms: Practical Steps to
Increase Your Site’s Ability to Detect and
What to Look for Manage Abnormal Lubrication Events
A number of conditions can cause denting, wear, cracked rings, high operating temperatures,
early fatigue and premature failure of bearings. These include mounting bearings on shafts by Lubricant Consolidation and Organization
applying pressure or blows to the outer race, mounting bearings into a housing by pressing on
the inner ring, loose shaft Qts, loose housing Qts, excessively tight Qts, out-of-round housings
and a poor Qnish on the bearing seat.

How to Fix it
Follow proper mounting instructions and provide training to ensure all employees understand
the difference between a properly and improperly installed mounting.

4. Misalignment
Bent shafts, out-of-square shaft shoulders, out-of-square spacers, out-of-square clamping nuts
and improper installation due to loose Qts can cause misalignment, which may result in
overheating and separator failure.

What to Look for

A wear path that is not parallel to the raceway edges of the non-rotating ring should be noted.

How to Prevent it
Inspect shafts and housings for runout of shoulders and bearing seats, and use precision-
grade locknuts.

5. False Brinelling
Rapid movement of the balls in a raceway while equipment is idle wears away at the
lubrication. In addition, a lack of rotation in the bearing does not allow fresh lubricant to return
to the spot. Both of these conditions result in false brinelling.

What to Look for

You may see linear wear marks in the axial direction at the rolling-element pitch or no raised
edges as opposed to marks due to incorrect mounting.

How to Fix it
Eliminate or absorb external vibration that could cause the balls to move. Also, be sure to use
lubricants containing anti-wear additives.

6. Corrosion
Moisture, acid, low-quality or broken-down grease, poor wrappings and condensation from
excessive temperature reversals can cause corrosion that is abrasive to the Qnely Qnished
surfaces of ball and roller bearings.

What to Look for

Look for red and brown stains or deposits on rolling elements, raceways or cages, as well as
increased vibration followed by wear, an increase in radial clearance or loss of the preload.

How to Fix it
Divert corrosive ]uids away from bearing areas. Select integrally sealed bearings and consider
external seals for particularly hostile environments. Using the proper bearing material, such as
stainless steel, can help if you cannot avoid a corrosive environment.

7. Electrical Damage (Fluting)

Constant passage of alternating or direct current, even with low currents, can lead to electrical
damage.

What to Look for

Brownish marks may be observed parallel to the axis on a large part of the raceway or
covering the entire raceway circumference.  

How to Fix it
Prevent electrical currents from ]owing through the bearing by grounding or using insulated
bearings.

8. Fatigue (Spalling)
Spalling is often the result of overloading, an excessive preload, tight inner-ring Qts and using
the bearing beyond its calculated fatigue life.

What to Look for

Fatigue can be indicated by the fracture of running surfaces and subsequent removal of small,
discrete particles of material from the inner ring, outer ring or rolling elements. Spalling is
progressive and will spread with continued operation. It is always accompanied by a
noticeable increase in vibration and noise.

How to Fix it
Replace the bearing and/or consider a redesign that uses a bearing with greater calculated
fatigue life, internal clearances, and proper shaft and housing recommendations.

9. Overheating
Overheating is generally the result of excessive operating temperatures and improper
lubrication. High temperatures can cause grease to bleed (purge the oil), which reduces the
lubricant’s eGciency. In elevated temperature conditions, oxidation can lead to the loss of
lubricating oils from the grease, leaving a dry, crusty soap that can seize the bearing. Higher
temperatures also reduce the hardness of the metal, causing early failure.

What to Look for

Note any discoloration of the rings, rolling elements and cages. In extreme cases, the bearing
components will deform. Higher temperatures can also degrade or destroy the lubricant.

How to Fix it
Thermal or overload controls, adequate heat paths and supplemental cooling are among the
best options to mitigate overheating.

10. Excessive Loads

Putting too much load on a bearing is another common cause of failure.

What to Look for

You may see heaving rolling-element wear paths, evidence of overheating and widespread
fatigue areas.

How to Fix it
Reduce the load or consider a redesign using a bearing with greater capacity.

11. Improper Storage and Handling

Improper storage exposes bearings to dampness and dust. Storing bearings in excessively
high temperatures can also degrade a grease’s shelf life, so always check with the grease
manufacturer for storage speciQcations. Handling bearings by opening boxes and tearing
wrappings prematurely can let in dirt and expose bearings to corrosive elements.

What to Look for

Watch for dampness and temperatures that can cause rust and/or uncovered bearings in a
storage area.

How to Fix it
Store bearings in a dry area at room temperature. Always cover bearings to keep them clean
while in storage and take them to the installation site before unwrapping.

12. Fit
A tight Qt can be caused by excessive loading of the rolling element when interference Qts
exceed the radial clearance at operating temperatures. Micro-motion between Qtted parts
where the Qts are too loose in relation to the acting forces may result in a loose Qt.

What to Look for

For a tight Qt, look for a heavy rolling-element wear path in the bottom of the raceway,
overheating or an inner-ring axial crack. For a loose Qt, note any fretting (generation of Qne
metal particles), which leaves a distinctive brown color. Wear at the Qtting surfaces can cause
noise and runout problems.

How to Fix it
Make sure a proper clearance is selected to avoid Qt issues. Refer to the manufacturer’s
installation guide.

Preventing Failures
By becoming aware of the different problems that can cause a bearing failure and the signs to
look for, you have already taken a big step toward limiting machine failures. Of course, you
don’t have to wait for the symptoms of a bearing failure to take action. Regular preventive
measures can keep your bearings at peak performance for as long as possible, saving your
business time and money. 

About the Author

Chris Wilson is the corporate operations manager at Ritbearing Corporation, an international
distributor of ball and roller bearings which also specializes in custom-engineered bearing
solutions. Contact Chris at cwilson@ritbearing.com. 

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