Hub bearings provide Ferrari performance

SKF is a long-standing partner with Ferrari with regards to the development of bearings and seals for both road and racing vehicles. One of the most recent fruits of this partnership is the development and production of high performance hub bearing units for the new Ferrari F430. The all-steel hub bearing units help improve vehicle handling through increased hub stiffness that supports the high forces produced during cornering The key features of the hub bearings are a flanged outer ring, which enables faster assembly, and a stiffer knuckle connection providing the driver with dynamic handling and steering precision. The inner ring has a stiffer disc and wheel rim interface and is flanged just like the outer ring, which further adds to the speed of assembly. The optimised ball selection means high stiffness and prolonged bearing life, and the thin section bearing rings optimise the package dimensions. A special coating is used on exposed surfaces to boost oxidation protection. There is also an active ABS sensor, which is particularly effective for the vehicle's electric parking brake, as it can sense and adjust with wheel rotation. These high performance hub bearing units have been validated and proven to meet Ferrari's stringent performance requirements by SKF through both bench and road testing, including running on Ferrari's own proving grounds.