Self Aligning Bearings

Self Aligning Ball Bearings for Australian Industrial Drives

Self aligning ball bearings have a spherical outer race that allows the inner race to angle slightly relative to the housing — accommodating shaft misalignment, housing deflection, and mounting inaccuracies that would bind a fixed-race bearing. For Australian industrial pumps, fans, conveyors, and shaft-driven equipment where perfect shaft-to-housing alignment isn't always practical, self aligning bearings are the right specification. AIMS Industrial supplies self aligning ball bearings from NSK, NTN, FYH, and Koyo.

How self aligning bearings work

The bearing has two rows of balls running on a single spherical raceway in the outer race. Because the raceway is spherical, the inner race and balls can rotate around any axis through the bearing centre — allowing the shaft to angle slightly relative to the housing without loading the bearing edges. Typical angular misalignment tolerance is 2-4° depending on the specific bearing series.

Where self aligning bearings earn their place

• Long shafts with multiple bearings — where small misalignments accumulate between bearing positions
• Conveyor and material handling — where housing deflection under load is unavoidable
• Fans and blowers — for high-speed shafts on flexible mounting structures
• Centrifugal pumps — for shafts running between motor and impeller across multiple supports
• Agricultural and earth-moving equipment — where flexing frames cause shaft misalignment
• Wood and steel processing — applications with significant frame movement under load

The series we stock

• 1200 series (single-row equivalent) — the lightest series for small shaft applications
• 1300 series — medium-light series for general industrial use
• 2200 series — light series, the everyday workshop choice
• 2300 series — medium series for higher-load applications
• Self aligning bearing units (UC, UCP, UCFL) — bearings pre-mounted in pillow block, flange, and similar housings

Sizing — bore × outside diameter × width

Self aligning bearings are sized like other ball bearings: bore × outside diameter × width in millimetres. Match the bore to the shaft, the outside diameter to the housing, and confirm the width fits the available housing length. The bearing series (1200, 1300, 2200, 2300) determines the load capacity and is selected by load requirement.

Brands stocked at AIMS

NSK, NTN, FYH, and Koyo are the established Japanese bearing brands stocked across the self aligning range. Each brand has slight differences in series naming and specific bearing designations, but cross-references are well-documented. For OEM replacement, match the original brand and part number; for new design, any of the four major brands will deliver to spec.

Mounting and lubrication

Self aligning bearings install like other ball bearings — press-fit into the housing or onto the shaft using proper bearing mounting tools (don't hammer directly on the inner or outer race). Lubrication can be grease or oil depending on the application; sealed and shielded versions are available for environments where contamination is a concern. The matching seal kits and lubrication grease are stocked alongside the bearings.

Self aligning ball versus self aligning roller

This page covers self aligning ball bearings — for higher load capacity, see also self aligning roller bearings (also called spherical roller bearings) which use barrel-shaped rollers instead of balls. Roller bearings handle significantly higher loads but at higher cost and weight.

Companion ranges at AIMS

Self aligning bearings sit alongside our broader bearing range — see spherical roller bearings, needle roller bearings, bearing housings, and shaft seals for the related products.

Need help with bearing selection or sizing for a specific shaft and housing? contact our team — we'll match by bore, OD, load, and series.