Self-Aligning Ball Bearings

Self-Aligning Double Row Ball Bearings are designed to work in applications where severe misalignment exists whether from mounting or shaft deflection.  The concave raceway of the outer ring in combination with two rows of balls operate over a wide range of contact angles.  Furthermore it aligns itself correctly with the shaft and assembly without causing undue stress on the rest of the bearing assembly.

Standard Self-Aligning Double Row Ball Bearings are produced with straight bores; however, tapered bores are available upon request.  Noteworthy is that the self-aligning ball bearing has the lowest friction of all rolling bearings, which enables it to run cooler even at high speeds.  Furthermore, the design allows for easy mounting and dismounting.

Our Self-Aligning Double Row Ball Bearings come in three numeric series which represent the maximum specified degree of misalignment and loads:

1200 Series – Can be misaligned 2.5°
1300 Series – Can be misaligned 3.0°
2200 Series – Can be misaligned 2.5° but has higher load ratings is and wider than the 1200 Series

Other Types of Spherical Bearings
There are other types of "spherical bearings" including spherical plain bearings, rod ends, and spherical roller bearings. To learn more about the various kinds of spherical bearings, please visit "Spherical Bearings – Accommodating Misalignment" which explains the similarities and differences between the various types.

Self-Aligning Double Row Roller Bearings Also Available
Spherical Roller Bearings (also known as Self Aligning Double Row Roller Bearings) are designed to work in applications where severe misalignment exists whether from mounting or shaft deflection and with relatively heavy radial loads and some axial loads in either direction. They are also extremely resistant to shock loads and their self-aligning feature allows full capacity loading despite shaft deflection. They are very similar in purpose to Self-Aligning Double Row Ball Bearings, except the Spherical Roller Bearings are designed to be more robust by carry heavier loads, but at lower maximum speeds.