1. Observe abnormal phenomena during operation
In daily use, if the following conditions occur, it usually indicates that the swing arm bearing may be damaged or severely worn and needs to be replaced:
Abnormal sounds and vibrations: The reducer makes obvious and irregular abnormal sounds (such as high-frequency "clunking" or friction sounds) during operation, or the vibration amplitude suddenly increases.
Abnormal temperature rise: The temperature of the bearing part or reducer end cover rises sharply, and the temperature rise exceeds the normal range (usually the temperature rise should not exceed 45-60°C under load).
Oil leakage: Due to bearing wear, the fitting clearance is too large, which may cause the shaft end oil seal to fail and cause oil leakage.
2. Conduct professional testing (before disassembly)
Before deciding to dismantle the reducer, professional means can be used to make more accurate judgments to avoid blind disassembly:
Vibration spectrum analysis: Use a vibration meter to conduct vibration spectrum analysis of the reducer. If the characteristic frequency of the bearing rolling elements, inner ring or outer ring appears in the spectrum diagram, it can be clearly determined that the bearing is faulty.
Infrared thermal imaging: Use an infrared thermal imager to scan the entire reducer. If the temperature of a certain end cover or box area is significantly higher than other parts, this area is likely to be the location of the faulty bearing.
Lubricating oil analysis: Conduct ferrographic or spectral analysis of the lubricating oil in the reducer. If the oil contains a large amount of chromium abrasive particles, it usually means that the raceways or rollers of the bearing have become worn.
3. Physical inspection after disassembly
When the above signs indicate that there may be a problem with the bearing, the reducer needs to be disassembled for final confirmation. During disassembly and inspection, please note the following key points:
Appearance inspection: Carefully observe whether there are peeling, pitting, scratches or cracks on the surface of the bearing"s raceway and rolling elements. Also check whether the bearing cage is broken or deformed.
Clearance inspection: Use tools such as feeler gauges to measure the radial and axial clearance of the bearing. If the clearance value exceeds the standard range specified by the manufacturer, it means that the bearing is severely worn and must be replaced.
Coordination inspection: Check the cooperation between the bearing, shaft and bearing chamber. If there is relative rotation between the inner ring of the bearing and the shaft (commonly known as "running inner ring"), or there is looseness between the outer ring and the bearing chamber, it also indicates that the fit has failed and the bearing needs to be replaced and the shaft or bearing chamber may need to be repaired.
