Sealed Bearings Keep Farm And Agriculture Equipment Working

Agricultural equipment performs a variety of tasks in different environments. Most of these machines depend on bearings to assist internal rotation. No matter the environment, it’s important the bearings can withstand contamination. Otherwise the bearings could fail, leading to downtime. Both Rex and Link-Belt brand bearings have bearing seals to ensure performance in any agricultural space.

Why Tough Conditions on the Farm Require Sealed Bearings

Farm equipment has to perform in extreme temperatures and environments filled with dirt, water or other contaminants. Some devices like tillage equipment, must perform with the bearings literally buried in the ground or mud or water. Without adequate bearing seals, problems will arise.

Sealed Bearings For Moderate Contamination Conditions

High speed applications, such as grain moving and drying fans and blowers, typically involve moderate contamination conditions. In these applications, a seal with light to no contact is typically utilized.

For Link-Belt ball bearings, the non-contact type H seal is the primary choice. This seal provides adequate protection to the bearing with little impedance on bearing maximum operating speed.

For roller bearings, the Link-Belt non-contact H seal and the Rex non-contact Z seal will also provide sufficient bearing protection while having no effect on operating speed

Increased Contamination Needs Heavier Bearing Seals

When contamination levels become more severe, a heavier contact type lip seal may be required. Link-Belt ball bearings can be equipped with single lip contact seals, such as type N and type E seals. The Rex spring loaded rubber lip M seal and the similar Link-Belt E seal are available on roller bearing lines.

The full contact rubber lip provides excellent protection against the dust and moisture ingress. In addition, the roller bearing seals have an integral trash guard outboard the seal lip. This guard protects the lip from possible damage caused by large debris, such as rocks and silage wrappage.

Maximum Bearing Protection For The Most Severe Applications

For the most severe applications where heavy dirt and moisture exposure are present, the bearings need maximum sealing protection. The heavy-duty triple lip type E3 seal provides this protection on Link-Belt ball bearings. This seal uses three rubber lips that not only create three positive contact sealing points, but also create grease cavities between each lip. The seal also utilizes the outboard trash guardfor added protection.

For roller bearings, the Rex triple lip type G seal and Link-Belt type E7 seal can provide the same type of protection as the triple lip seals found on the ball bearing products. If space allows, Rex roller bearings can be equipped with additional auxiliary caps. These caps are offered both open and closed and can be used on one or both sides of the bearing. These are heavy-duty cast-iron caps bolted to the side of the housing,creating a 5-point sealing system.

From the mild contamination to the most severe contamination applications present in the Farm and Ag industries, Regal Rexnord Link-Belt and Rex ball and roller bearings have the right seal for any contamination level.

For more information, visit Regal Rexnord's industry-leading line of bearings products.

Additional Resources

Rex Roller Bearings Brochure

Rex Roller Bearings Product Info Sheet