Rod ends consist of an eye-shaped head with integral shank forming a housing and a standard spherical plain bearing, or a spherical plain bearing inner ring, or a spherical plain bearing inner ring and a sliding layer between the bore of the head and the inner ring. As a rule, rod ends are available with left or right-hand female or male threads. Rod ends from Asia Bearing have the sliding contact surface combinations steel-on-steel, steel-on-bronze, steel-on-PTFE composite material, and steel-on-PTFE fabric.
Rod Ends Requiring Lubrication
Steel-on-steel and steel-on-bronze rod ends have very wear-resistant sliding surfaces and perform well under conditions of lubricant starvation. Rod ends with this sliding contact surface combination require regular relubrication. They are particularly suited for bearing arrangements where heavy alternating loads have to be accommodated.
Maintenance-Free Rod Ends (Rod Ends Requiring No Lubrication)
Maintenance-free (lubrication free) rod ends from Asia Bearing have two different sliding contact surfaces: steel-on-PTFE composite material and steel-on-PTFE fabric (depending on the diameter of the shaft). Both have very low friction and can be operated without maintenance. They are used for applications where long bearing lives are required without maintenance, or where operating conditions, such as inadequate lubrication or the absence of lubrication make the use of steel-on-steel bearing inadvisable. The maintenance-free bearings are primarily intended for applications where loads are heavy and have a constant direction.