Self-Aligning Ball Bearings

NSK recommends Self-Aligning Ball Bearings when the alignment of the shaft and housing is problematic and the shaft may bend. The outer ring has a spherical raceway and its centre of curvature coincides with that of the bearing; therefore, the axis of the inner ring, balls and cage can deflect to some extent around the bearing centre. The axial load capacity is low since the contact angle is small. Under normal loads, the permissible dynamic misalignment is approximately 0.07 to 0.12 radian (4 to 7 degrees).