SPBs or spherical plain bearings are key components in hydraulic cylinders as they are designed to take very heavy loads and impact. Hydraulic cylinders give power to the moving accessories on construction equipment, so having a strong and reliable SPB maintains up time and equipment productivity.
Spherical Plain Bearings – or SPBs, spherical plane bearings or ball bushings – are used when alignment between a shaft and housing have to accommodate movement, or where rotating tilting movements are required. So, they are found in applications that require rotation or oscillation.
Spherical Plain Bearings (SPB)/rod end bearings are generally used to connect or transfer movement such as connecting ends on control linkages, hydraulic cylinder rod ends, vehicle steering linkage suspensions, heavy equipment articulated joints and other severe duty uses where pivoting misalignment is present.
A recreational vehicle OEM requested standard spherical plain bearings (SPBs) for a newly designed steering system. During the testing phase, the SPB showed signs of wear and it was determined that the axial clearance needed to be tighter. The OEM asked CCTY Bearing Company’s engineers to modify the bearing’s axial clearance.
