Bearing Application Requirements
Manufacturers often address product functionality in conjunction with reducing material costs. This is especially necessary when overall performance is compromised and customer value is in jeopardy. Further, material review is vital to the function and quality of a business’s product in order to remain competitive in the marketplace
In the case of a garden tractor manufacturer, the needle bearings in its double reduction steering mechanism were too costly without providing easy steering capabilities to users because of high friction.
Seeking a less-expensive, low-friction bearing solution that ultimately improved the steering mechanism needed to steer the garden tractors, the manufacturer turned to GGB.
GGB Agricultural Plain Bearing Solutions
Five grease-lubricated DX® metal-polymer bearings were used in each garden tractor assembly to decrease friction and reduce user steering effort. Additionally, the DX® bearings do not require a costly hardened shaft like the original needle bearings, allowing the manufacturer to further reduce manufacturing costs.
DX® metal-polymer plain bearings consist of a sturdy steel backing, a porous bronze sinter layer and an acetal resin liner with lubrication indents. The acetal resin liner provides DX® bearings with high wear resistance and superior low friction bearing performance, even when only a trace amount of lubricant is used.
In addition to its low friction performance, DX® metal-polymer plain bearings have a high dynamic load capacity of up to 20,000 psi (140 N/mm2) and excellent shock resistance. DX® bearings are ideal for all types of rotating, oscillating and sliding motion for speeds up to 500 fpm (2.5 m/s).
GGB Garden Tractor Bearings - Benefits
For garden tractor steering mechanism applications, DX® agricultural plain bearings provide the following benefits over needle bearings:
- Reduced steering effort due to lower friction
- Longer service life under high shock loads
- Less maintenance due to lubricant holes improving grease distribution
- Lowered manufacturing costs due to not requiring a hardened shaft in the steering assembly