Why Bearings Fail Early in Indian Factories

1️⃣ Wrong Bearing, Right Part Number

Most buyers repeat the same part number because “it worked last time.”

That’s how failures get institutionalized.

Common misses:

• No C3/C4 clearance in high-heat zones

• Deep groove bearings used where axial load exists

• Standard bearings in dusty or washdown environments

A 6309 is not a 6309 everywhere. 2️⃣ Brand Name Doesn’t Cancel Physics

Yes—SKF, FAG, NSK, Timken are excellent.

No—they don’t survive:

• Misalignment

• Poor lubrication

• Bad mounting

Price buys pedigree, not immunity.Fit to application decides life. 3️⃣ Installation Kills More Bearings Than Load

Most damage happens before the machine even starts.

Typical factory reality:

• Hammer mounting

• Dirty hands

• Wrong shaft tolerance

One bad install = early fatigue. Always.

4️⃣ Lubrication Is Usually Wrong, Not Missing

Over-greasing, wrong grease, mixed grease.

All silent killers.

If RPM, temperature, and relubrication cycles aren’t matched, failure is just delayed—not avoided. 5️⃣ India Is Not a Catalogue Environment

Most bearing data assumes:

• Clean air

• Stable power

• Controlled heat

Indian plants have:

• Dust

• Voltage spikes

• Heat surges

That’s why sealed bearings, insulated bearings, and higher clearance often outperform “textbook selections”. What Smart Buyers Do Differently

They don’t ask:❌ “What’s the cheapest 6312?”

They ask:✅ “What bearing gives the lowest cost per running hour?”

They choose suppliers who ask about:

• Load

• RPM

• Temperature

• Environment

Not just quantity. Final Reality Check

Bearings are cheap. Downtime is not.

If your supplier only sends quotes and never asks questions, you’re not buying bearings—you’re pre-booking failures.