Bearing inserts are a special type of bearing that fits inside of a bearing housing to form a mounted unit. The bearing insert and bearing housing work in conjunction with each other but both have specific purposes. The bearing insert is to allow the movement of a shaft while being stabilized by the mounted unit that the bearing insert is installed in. The bearing housing also has two to four holes so that it can be mounted and secured into place.

There are two types of bearing inserts: a set screw locking collar and an eccentric locking collar.

A Set Screw Collar is the round collar that fits around a shaft. The collar has two holes that are drilled and tapped. Going from one screw to two screws nearly doubles the load capacity (the specified amount of weight per square foot that is allowed to be placed on the mounted unit). This allows a Set Screw to be threaded into those holes, bite down on the shaft, and lock it into place. A Set Screw type is best when the shaft is spinning in one direction since the locked set screw insert and shaft essentially turn as one.

When the shaft is spinning in multiple directions or being used in a harsh environment, it is best to use an Eccentric Lock Collar. Once the bearing is properly mounted to the shaft, take the collar and twist it until it is flush on the shaft, and tighten down the set screws to hold the bearing insert in place. These set screws provide supplementary locking as the eccentric lock collar is “self-locking” and eradicates the need for typical locking parts such as washers, locknuts, shoulders, sleeves and adapters.