Timken style tapered roller bearings are comprised mostly of a two piece construction with the cup, which is the outer race of the bearing, and the cone, which is the caged inner roller set. It has the bore for the shaft.

Tapered roller bearings are special in so much that one part of the assembly can be changed without replacing the other.

Most bearing specialists will recommend changing out the cone and the cup whenever one is changed. This is not necessarily because they want a bigger sale. In most circumstances, the reason why one half of the bearing failed (contamination, shock or improper loading) has affected the other part, as well. Additionally, many maintenance professionals recommend changing both at the same time to make sure you do not have to service the same area of the machine twice in rapid succession.

If a cone is being replaced, check the cup to make sure roller wear is even, and there are no pits or streaks caused by contamination. When the cup shows uneven wear, pits from corrosion or contamination streaking in the metal, be sure to replace the cup.

When the cup is being replaced, check to make sure the rollers in the cone are free to move, and that they are not damaged by contamination. Make sure the cage is in good shape and not rubbing against the rollers. If there is roller or cage contamination, be sure to change the cone.

If you have any questions about tapered roller bearing maintenance, feel free to contact me. Thanks for your time in reading this article.