Sometimes, bearings fail. Whether you buy Myonic bearings or cheap knock offs, there is always a chance that they will break. However, you can prevent them from breaking. By learning more about what causes problems, you can avoid them in your practice. Here are some of the most common reasons for failure in bearings.

1. Lubrication Failure

A lot of failures are caused by lubrication issues. This includes using insufficient, inappropriate, or degraded lubricants. To spot this problem, look for discolored rolling elements, overheating, and excessive wear.

2. Contamination

Contamination occurs when foreign matter gets into the lubricant. This can include dirt, dust, grit, or other particles from dirty work areas or hands. If you notice dents in rolling elements or excessive vibration, this could be your problem.

3. Mounting Problem

Bearings should be mounted on a rotating ring. If you experience denting, wear, cracks, and overheating, your bearing may have mounting issues. This can include a variety of problems and should be remedied as soon as possible.

4. Misalignment

Whether you have a bent shaft or improper alignment of bearing elements, this can cause other problems that require a lot of parts to be replaced. If you notice non-rotating rings or wear paths that are not where they should be, you could be experiencing misalignment.

5. False Brinelling

False brinelling occurs when the balls continue to move when your equipment is idle and wear away your lubricant. The result is that the lack of rotation from a power source leads to improper distribution of the lubricant. This can cause your bearings to fail. If you see unusual wear patterns or have any misalignment issues, they could be caused by this problem.

By knowing what the common problems are and their signs, you can take measures to keep your bearings from failing. Remember that there is always the potential that a bearing will break. However, checking for the most common problems can let you identify any issues and fix them quickly.