Bearings for Off Highway Industry & Applications

With extensive experience and expertise in the off-highway industry, AST offers a line of high-quality, performance-proven bearings for a variety of segments, including mining, construction, forestry, agriculture, drilling and more.

Durability and reliability are of the utmost importance in choosing off-highway bearings. Field failures can be devastating, and AST understands that its customers expect the highest quality components to guarantee equipment runs efficiently in extreme environments, dealing with moisture, temperature and contaminants.

Our team of engineers will work with you to choose the right part for your unique application, guide you through a range of options, including sealing technology for protection in harsh operating conditions and cross-groove technology to promote lubricant distribution and expel contamination.

Spherical plain bearings are the most commonly requested items on our heavy-duty product list, because of their durability in extreme environments. They are used for applications requiring rotation and oscillation. The relative motion takes place on a sliding surface so the limiting speed is slow. Types and features include:

• Standard radial, heavy radial and thrust loading, designed to accommodate misalignment. Features: heavy radial loading, accommodates misalignment, thrust loading and non-separable.
• Extended inner ring designed to eliminate locational spacers. Features: eliminates locational spacers.
• High misalignment, with a cross section specifically to accommodate greater misalignment. Features: heavy cross section, accommodates greater misalignment.
• Angular contact for unidirectional thrust and combination loads. Features: Single acting, for unidirectional thrust and combination loads.
• Self-lubricated low maintenance with Teflon, dry film or injection molded polymer lubrication. Features: Teflon, dry film or injection molded polymer lubrication for low maintenance.

• Tapered roller bearings are another popular off-highway choice, as they offer the best combination of radial and axial load capacity. In addition, they provide dimensional stability under heavy loads being perfect for off-highway performance. They have a long life in harsh and contaminated conditions. Generally they are used for heavy-duty and moderate speed applications.
• Ball bearings can support moderate radial loads and moderate axial loads (parallel to the shaft). They can operate at high speeds. Ball bearings with shields or seals for protection can be lubricated to last for the operating life.
• Roller bearings have high-radial load capacity in comparison to ball bearings. They operate at moderate to high speeds. The lubrication method must be carefully considered during the design phase when using roller bearings.
• Rod ends consist of a spherical ball mounted in a housing, typically with male or female threads. They allow for oscillation/misalignment during slow rotation. Some rod end types require lubrication; other types are maintenance-free.
• Bushings, or plain bearings, operate with sliding motion between the moving surfaces. Bushings are selected based on the velocity and the applied load. Maintenance-free bushings do not require additional lubrication to operate.
• Mounted bearings (pillow block bearings, flange bearing units and take-up bearings) are available in a variety of materials, mounting configurations and with various types of insert bearings. Each mounted unit acts as a system to position the bearing securely for reliable operation.

Have questions about bearings for your off-highway operation? AST’s team of bearing experts is ready to assist with finding the right part for the most demanding applications; click here to contact us.