catalytic
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2010
- Location
- Boston, Los Angeles, and Cleveland
For the decade or so that I've been maintaining my own machines, I'm a stickler for replacing bearings whenever they sound bad, feel bad, or feel dry/soapy. I do this mostly because I have heard and read here that horrible things may happen if I don't.
Aside from a bit of heat or runout, what are these horrible things, and what happens if you continue to run an old soapy bearing? If a bearing sounds bad but there is no perceptible heat/runout, is there any urgency to change it?
Do they apply equally to basic radial motor bearings and to quality spindle bearings (angular contact)?
*EDIT* after looking at the first few replies, I should specify I'm mostly interested in:
1. radial ball bearings in fractional to 5hp motors that you find on the various machines around your machine shop and
2. angular contact spindle bearings such as the ones in your bridgeport and toolroom lathe
Has anyone actually seen a bearing lock up and the shaft or housing spin in either of these cases? If so, is are there a lot of warning signs first?
Aside from a bit of heat or runout, what are these horrible things, and what happens if you continue to run an old soapy bearing? If a bearing sounds bad but there is no perceptible heat/runout, is there any urgency to change it?
Do they apply equally to basic radial motor bearings and to quality spindle bearings (angular contact)?
*EDIT* after looking at the first few replies, I should specify I'm mostly interested in:
1. radial ball bearings in fractional to 5hp motors that you find on the various machines around your machine shop and
2. angular contact spindle bearings such as the ones in your bridgeport and toolroom lathe
Has anyone actually seen a bearing lock up and the shaft or housing spin in either of these cases? If so, is are there a lot of warning signs first?