Steel-on-Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) Composite Material Metric Series Inner/Outer Lubrication Maintenance-Free Spherical Plain Bearings

A steel-on-PTFE composite material Spherical Plain Bearing is one type of a maintenance-free SPB (others include steel-on-PTFE fabric and steel-on-bronze). In this case, the outer ring is made of carbon steel radially split twice, held together by screws with a sliding surface of a PTFE composite material. The inner ring is made of hardened carbon chromium steel with the sliding surface treated with a chromium plating to further reduce friction.

As with other maintenance free spherical plain bearings, the Steel-on-Bronze series are used for applications where long bearing lives are required without maintenance (relubrication). They are also used when a steel on steel bearing is inadvisable such as when inadequate lubrication (or no lubrication) is prevalent.