Do Tapered Roller Bearings Need Grease?

A tapered roller bearing, also commonly referred to as a conical roller bearing, is engineered to handle combined radial and axial loads through its unique geometry. The rollers and raceways are angled so that the load is distributed along a common apex, allowing the bearing to sustain heavy loads while maintaining precise rotational alignment.
Because of this geometry, contact stresses between the rollers and raceways are inherently higher than in purely radial bearings. This makes lubrication not just beneficial, but structurally essential. Without an effective lubricant film, metal to metal contact would rapidly lead to surface fatigue, micro pitting, scuffing, and eventual bearing failure.
For metric tapered roller bearings, which are widely used in agricultural machinery, automotive drivetrains, gearboxes, and industrial equipment, grease lubrication remains the most practical and commonly adopted solution.

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