Maintenance Free Bearings




Application:
Most column-mounted fairleads are of a similar design. A bracket suspended by a top and
bottom bearing in which a vertical sheave is mounted. The most commonly used bearings
are 'self-lube' bronze bearings but this is not an ideal solution. The bearings have a limited
life, they are not easily available and even with cathodic protection corrosion is always a
problem (usually the bore of the sheaves need to be machined out an average 20-40mm
in diameter before sufficient flesh' is created to install new bearings). When the solid
lubrication is used up they become quite aggressive to the shafts. D-glide bearings have
proven to be an excellent choice for this application. Because of the nature of the material,
non metalic and an electrical insulator), the advised installation method, corrosion of
sheave bores is no longer a problem. Wear rates are much lower (10 times is possible),
fiction is lower and they are much friendlier for the shafts. In general it is possible to produce
a complete set of D-glide bearings for a drill rig within 10 days.



Advantages of the D-Glide solution
- No corrosion
- Long bearing life
- Low cost
- Short delivery times



 
    Worn out (4yr old) self-lube bronze bushings       D-glide bearings, fairlead sheaves and swivels