Rolling Element Skew in Tapered Roller Bearings

This paper reports on the roller skew in tapered roller bearings monitored by contact potential difference probes. The effect of the load, rotational speed, and viscosity of lubricant on roller skew angle, along with the variation of bearing torque with the running conditions, were measured on a LM501300 bearing. Two greases (SHC15 and SHC460) were used to lubricate the bearing. The skew angles were found to vary from 0.15° to 0.6°. The results indicate that the skew angle depends on the friction force at the roller-rib interface. An empirical equation is derived which relates the skew angle to the bearing operational parameters.