Abstract: A bearing assembly includes a rolling bearing, having an inner ring, an outer ring, rolling bodies arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, and a clamping ring, for supporting a steering shaft and a further bearing, for supporting a steering shaft. The rolling bearing is further provided with a pre-tensioning element for axially loading the rolling bearing and the further bearing relative to one another, and a support element for axially supporting the steering shaft are further provided, with the outer ring circumscribing at least one of the pre-tensioning element and the support element at radial and axial distances to an inner surface area of the outer ring. A retention member holds the at least one of the pre-tensioning element and the support element in axial direction, to form an assembly unit, with the pre-tensioning element and the support element being integrated in the outer ring.

Abstract: A bearing assembly for supporting a shaft without play, in particular for use with a steering shaft in a steering column, includes a plurality of needle-like rollers that are circumscribed by a thin-walled, split bush for elastically loading the rollers in radial direction. Fitted about the bush is an elastic ring that applies a preload on the bush and has at least one peripheral surface formed with neighboring ridges of relatively greater radial dimension and relatively smaller radial dimension in alternating relationship.