The Purpose of Bushings and Bearings

A bearing is a mechanical device intended to allow two or more parts of a machine to move relative to each other in a constrained space. The bearing surrounds an individual moving part, protecting it from rubbing against other parts of an engine or pump and facilitating its motion on the proper plane. By thus protecting the part, the bearings or “bushings” ensure that it remains as it was when it was machined, for as long as possible – and so that it continues to travel through its intended motion without warp or friction damage causing it to move erratically and damage the engine.

The terms “bushing”, “bushing sleeves”, “bearing” and “bearing sleeves” are all from the same family. An engine bearing is independent of the machine it is used in – i.e. it is an independent part, which is used in an engine to protect its moving pieces.

Bearing sleeves are normally compact and lightweight. Their size and simple composition makes them inexpensive to manufacture and inexpensive to buy. You’ll find them bushing the moving parts of engines and pumps for this reason. As simple structures they’re easy to remove and replace, making them ideal for protecting the moving parts of high temperature, intense use machines – of which, of course, the combustion engine is the most common.

Sleeve bearings of all types are manufactured to the standards required by the world’s most popular and widespread plant and construction machinery companies. Caterpillar, Komatsu, Detroit Diesel and Cummins power a huge proportion of the world’s construction, demolition and maintenance industries. Replacement engine bearings & Bearing sleeves for Caterpillar, Komatsu, Detroit Diesel and Cummins can be sourced online and shipped anywhere in the world.

Bushings and bearings are capable of facilitating three types of motion: rotary, linear and axial. Rotary motion is facilitated by a “journal bearing” (which can be as simple as a shaft inside a hole); linear motion is made possible by a “linear bearing” (which can be anything that allows one part of an engine or pump to slide backwards and forwards on a linear plane); and axial motion is facilitated by a “thrust bearing”.