Design of Crush Height For Reliable Press Fit of High Performance Bearings
Design of Crush Height For Reliable Press Fit of High Performance Bearings
Design of Crush Height For Reliable Press Fit of High Performance Bearings
A firmly tightened bearing has uniform contact with the housing surface, which fulfills
the following functions [1]:
Fig.1 depicts a bearing installed in the housing. When the bearing is assembled and the
two parts of the housing are tightened, a compression stress σ in the circumference
direction of the bearing back is formed. The stress causes the bearing to press to the
housing surface at a contact pressure P. The value of the radial contact pressure P
determines the ability of the bearing to transfer the heat produced by friction.
Fig.1
The contact pressure also produces a friction between the bearing back and the housing
surface which contradicts the friction generated by the journal rotating in the bearing
(ML). The torque of the friction force formed between the bearing back and the housing
MH prevents the bearing from shifting in the housing.
Crush Height
The tested bearing is installed in the gauge block and pressed with a predetermined
force F. The force is proportional to the cross-section area of the bearing wall.
The optimal value for crush height is dependent on the bearing diameter, housing
material (modulus of elasticity and thermal extension), housing dimensions and stricture
(rigidity), and temperature.
A universal value of crush height suitable for all kinds of bearings and housings does not
exist, since the required minimum contact pressure depends on the housing material,
housing rigidity (dimensions and shape), bearing thickness and temperature.
For common street car engine bearings, the minimum value of contact pressure
providing reliable operation of a medium loaded bearing at moderate rotation speed is
about 1200 psi.
However more severe conditions of high performance engines require a higher
minimum level of contact pressure - at least 1500 psi. The maximum value of crush
height is determined by the level of compression stress, which should not exceed 65,000
psi.
The contact pressure and compression stress may be calculated by the method
described in [2].
Fig.3 depicts the results of contact pressure calculations as a function of crush height for
three different housing materials: steel, aluminum and titanium. High performance
connecting rods, depending upon application, are routinely made from one of these
materials. These materials have different values of stiffness (modulus of elasticity). The
stiffness of aluminum is about a third that of steel, the stiffness of titanium is half that
of steel.
The calculations illustrated in Fig 3 were performed with King high performance
connecting rod bearing CR 807XPN.
According to the calculation results, a contact pressure of 1500 psi is achieved at the
crush height value of 0.0022” in the steel housing, and 0.0032” in the aluminum housing
(measured at load pressure 14,500 psi). The diameter of the housing in the calculations
was assumed 1” greater than the outside diameter of the bearing.
Fig.3
Fig.4
The graph shows that the required level of contact pressure in the heated aluminum
housing may be achieved only if the crush height is not less than 0.006”.
Another factor affecting contact pressure is the rigidity of the bearing housing,
determined by the housing dimensions and shape.
Fig.5 presents the calculation results of the effect of the housing diameter on the
contact pressure of the bearing in housings made of three different materials. The
calculations are made for crush height ch = 0.003”.
The graph shows that the steel housing provides the required contact pressure even at a
diameter as low as 1.25 of the bearing diameter. The contact pressure 1500 psi in a
titanium housing is achieved at its diameter greater than 1.4 of the bearing diameter.
The diameter of an aluminum housing should be at least 1.65 of the bearing diameter.
A tighter contact between bearing and housing may also be obtained by an increase of
the thickness of the bearing steel back.
The effect of bearing thickness on contact pressure is shown in Fig.6.
The required minimum value of 1500 psi pressure in a steel housing is achieved with a
bearing whose steel back is thicker than 0.04”, whereas the bearing back thickness in an
aluminum housing should be at least 0.06” and 0.05” in titanium housing.
Fig.6
However, there are limits to the minimum amount of crush height as well as the
maximum amount of crush height. When a bearing with excessive crush height is
installed and tightened in the housing, the material in the region of the parting line
exerts an inward displacement which reduces the gap between the journal and the
bearing surfaces in this area. The change of bearing profile at the parting line region
results in the formation of peak oil film pressure, which may cause fatigue of the bearing
material [3].
A bearing affected with fatigue cracks in the area of crush relief is shown in Fig.7.
The compression stress in the bearing was 72,300 psi which is greater than the
maximum value of 65,000 psi.
Spinning prevention
One of the functions of press fit is to prevent bearing movement (spinning or fretting)
within the housing.
According to Fig.1, such movement may be possible if the torque of the friction force
applied to the bearing by the rotating journal ML becomes greater than the torque of
the friction force retaining the bearing in the housing MH.
Engine bearings operate mostly in a regime of hydrodynamic lubrication [4]. The value
of hydrodynamic friction torque developed using King high performance bearing CR
References
[1] Dmitri Kopeliovich (2011), Geometry and Dimensional Tolerances of Engine Bearings,
Engine professional, AERA., p.70-76.
[2] J.E. Shigley (1986), Mechanical engineering design, McGraw-Hill Book Company.