9^2^2 



Popular Science Monthly 



Automobile Bearings and How to 

 Care for Them Properly 



THE bearings of the automobile are, 

 to many motorists, as a closed book, 

 into which they have never ventured 

 to peep — they have been content to 



The usual type of ball race with the ball 

 holding ring and steel balls in place 



let the garage man "turn the trick." In a 

 way this may be a wise course, but, after 

 all, it is more satisfactory for the motorist 

 to learn and know his own car than to 

 motor in a depend-on-someone-else man- 

 ner. The bearings constitute one of the 

 most important features of the motor car 

 and for this reason, if he is thoroughly to 

 know his machine, the motorist must give 

 some attention to the bearings. 



The bearings with which the modern 

 automobile is equipped may be divided 

 into three different classes — plain, roller 

 and ball, the names themselves describing 

 the types with considerable accuracy. 



Plain bearings —The plain bearing con- 

 sists of a cylinder which is open at both 

 ends and split down the sides. Generally 

 it is made of bronze and has a babbitt, a 

 soft metal lining, this being situated im- 

 mediately against the rotating shaft. 

 The babbitt and its supporting metal are 

 securely locked together, and as a rule 

 there are grooves, running crosswise of 

 the bearing or at an angle, cut in the 

 babbitt to permit of even distribution of 

 oil. These bearings are used as supports 

 for the crankshaft of the engine and also 

 for the lower ends of the connecting rods 

 — where they connect with the crank- 

 shaft. 



There is also another type of plain 

 bearing, consisting of a bronze cylinder, 

 without the babbitt lining, these usually 

 being called bronze bushings. These are 



found at the top of the connecting rods, 

 in the clutch, on the brake pedals, etc., or 

 any other place where there is little dan- 

 ger of excessive heat being generated. 



When the babbitted plain bearing be- 

 comes worn, the result is generally a 

 knock within the motor. When this oc- 

 curs it may be remedied by removing a 

 shim, a very thin piece of metal located 

 between the two halves of the bearing, or 

 filing away part of the metal where the 

 two halves touch. A laminated shim is 

 made consisting of many thin steel layers 

 and by removing one or more of these 

 the offending looseness or play may be 

 taken up. This babbitt-lined bearing 

 requires perfect lubrication, for if the 

 bearing is permitted to run dry excessive 

 heat is generated through friction and the 

 soft metal is quickly melted, or burned out, 

 this being denoted by a pounding in the 

 motor. The burnt-out or worn bearing 

 should be replaced or repaired at the 

 earliest possible moment, otherwise a 

 ruined engine may result. 



Roller bearings — These are cylindrical 

 in form and vary in length. Each con- 

 sists of a series of steel rollers which form 

 this cylinder, and is divided into two main 

 divisions — straight roller and tapered 

 roller. There are radial roller bearings 

 and thrust roller bearings and combina- 

 tions of the two. These are generally 



A roller bearing and its sleeve which is 

 used on larger and longer shaft surfaces 



used in the rear axle and rear wheels of 

 the automobile. Tf one roller should be- 

 come worn an entirely new bearing should 

 be installed, for if all the rollers are not 

 the same size the accuracy of the complete 

 part cannot be maintained. 



Ball bearing This consists of steel 

 balls which revolve between two holders 

 or races. This is the most flexible bearing 



