Effect of a High Traction Fluid on Skidding in a High Speed Roller Bearing

Abstract

Laboratory tests run under skid-prone conditions have shown that cage skid in a lightly loaded roller bearing, operating at speeds up to 3 million DN, can be reduced by using a high traction fluid as the bearing lubricant. With a Mil-L-23699 oil, maximum cage slip approached 65 percent. When the military specification oil was replaced by a fluid blended to develop a high coefficient of traction, the maximum cage slip, in the same bearing, was reduced to approximately 3 percent. The high traction oil did not comply with the Mil Specification; however, the dramatic reduction in skidding demonstrated the desirability of increasing the traction coefficients for fluids used to lubricate aircraft jet engine mainshaft bearings.