Where is the Plane Bearing Located?
2 Answers
Automotive plane bearings are located at the top of the shock absorber, together with the shock absorber top rubber. Plane bearings, also known as pressure bearings, are most commonly found in MacPherson-type suspensions. Plane bearings consist of a flat cage assembly with needles, cylindrical rollers, or steel balls, and flat washers. More details are as follows: 1. Plane bearings in vehicles serve as a shock-absorbing and movable connection between the car body, preventing direct friction between shafts. The advantages of plane bearings include: high load capacity and stiffness in a compact space due to the use of high-precision cylindrical rollers, which increase contact length. 2. Another advantage is that if the surface of adjacent components is suitable as a raceway, the washer can be omitted, making the design more compact. DF plane needle bearings and plane cylindrical roller bearings use profiled surfaces for needles and cylindrical rollers, reducing edge stress and extending service life. 3. Plane bearings primarily bear axial loads in assemblies and are widely used. Although the installation of plane bearings is relatively simple, errors often occur during actual maintenance, such as incorrect positioning of the bearing's tight and loose rings, leading to bearing failure and rapid wear of the shaft neck.
The location of the thrust bearing in a car is crucial. It's typically positioned at the top of the front suspension's shock absorber. When you open the hood, locate the round metal cover on the shock absorber tower – removing it reveals the bearing pressed against the upper end of the suspension spring, sandwiched between the car body and suspension. This placement is critical because as the vehicle moves, the suspension repeatedly compresses, forcing the thrust bearing to bear the entire front-end weight's pressure while enabling the shock absorber to rotate flexibly with the wheels during steering. A faulty bearing causes distinct clicking noises when turning the stationary wheel, dull thuds when crossing speed bumps, and severe steering wheel vibration at highway speeds. Despite its small size, this component wears easily, particularly in vehicles frequently driven on rough roads – requiring inspection and replacement every 5-6 years. Replacement necessitates spring removal, a job strictly for professional repair shops due to the dangerous potential of spring release.