Assembly with residual clearance
Rolling bearings - Various types and layouts

The term "internal clearances" refers to the clearances existing inside the bearing alone, unmounted.

The term "external clearances" refers to clearances resulting from adjustments to the diameters of the shaft, hub and bearing rings, as well as the axial clearance that may be installed during assembly to allow a bearing to slide on the shaft relative to the other bearings.

• Internal clearance of ball bearings

  The diametral clearance is the clearance measured by first pressing one of the two rings against the other, then pressing the ring against the diametrically opposite side of the other ring.

  The radial clearance...