High Performance Bearings For Race Car Applications

In designing a high performance race car with a competitive edge, the choice of the bearing is critical. Weight and space are key factors in improving speed and fuel economy but this cannot be achieved at the expense of quality performance. For this reason Kaydon thin-section bearings have become the constructor¡¯s choice across the motor racing sector whether it be for Formula 1, Formula 3000 or rally cars. In the UK, the entire Kaydon range is available from factory representative, R. A. Rodriguez. In Reali-Slim bearings, each series is based on a single cross section that remains constant as the bore diameter is increased. This is in sharp contrast to standard bearings where the cross section increases as the bore diameter increases. Because the radial cross section and race width of Reali-Slim bearings are smaller than comparable diameter bearings from other manufacturers they take up less space. This allows designers to use thinner shafts, housings and other components resulting in not only a more compact design but cost reductions too. The use of Kaydon Reali-Slim bearings on performance car wheel assemblies provides a good illustration of their technical merits. This is a particularly arduous application due the bearing speeds and the applied loads that are involved. Radial, thrust and moment loads that correspond to the pitch, roll and yaw of the vehicles are simultaneously applied to the wheel bearings. Controlling pre-load for this type of application is vital. Too much pre-load would increase the loading on the bearings, reducing their life. Too little could lead to lower stiffness and deflections. Many constructors therefore take advantage of the specialist support from Kaydon and R. A. Rodriguez application engineers. Their advice on bearing preload adjustments and mounting arrangements has proved invaluable in achieving optimal bearing performance on the race track. The Reali-Slim product programme comprises a wide range of choices to accommodate the combined loading that is typical of automotive applications. The range comprises seven open and five sealed series ranging in bore diameters from 20mm to 360mm; R. A. Rodriguez also supplies an Imperial size range. If required, these bearings can be quickly modified to have special clearances, preloads, lubricants, separators and other features to meet the most demanding application requirements. In addition, the Reali-Slim bearings can be quickly modified to obtain corrosion resistance by applying Endurakote® thin-dense chrome plating. When assembled with 440C stainless steel balls, this modification forms the basis for Endura-Slim series of bearings that provide corrosion protection equal to or better than a full 440C stainless steel.