Abstract: A bearing, such as a tapered roller bearing, has races provided with opposed raceways and rollers which lie in a circular row between the races and have side faces along which they contact the raceways. In addition, the bearing has a rib provided with an abutment face located at the end of one of its raceways. The ends of the rollers contact this face, and here the bearing experiences its greatest friction. Even though the bearing loses its normal supply of lubrication, it still will not be damaged by the friction between the end faces of the rollers and the abutment face of the rib, since it contains a supplemental source of lubrication. To this end, the bearing includes a lubricating ring having a band which extends across the end faces of the rollers and tabs which project from the band into the spaces between the rollers so as to be presented opposite the abutment face on the thrust rib.

Abstract: The indirectly mounted tapered roller bearings which support a pinion shaft in a differential housing are set by turning a nut at the end of the shaft down to reduce the spacing between the cones of the two bearings. Initially, the bearings exist in end play, and as the end play diminishes, the torque transmitted through the bearings from the rotating shaft to the housing is monitored. When the transmitted torque increase, signifying that the bearings have entered preload, the nut is rotated still further, through a prescribed angle relative to the shaft. Thus, the preload in the bearings is set to be a prescribed dimensional magnitude. The bearings may also be set to a prescribed condition of end play by rotating the nut in the opposite direction when the transmitted torque increases.