LAS VEGAS, Nev. — Heavy-duty vehicles, such as garbage trucks, construction equipment, and cement mixers, not only require a rugged exterior and plenty of power: even the bearings must be built to handle the daily onslaught of dust, dirt, and grit.

In an effort to extend the life cycle and reduce maintenance costs of Class 7 and 8 heavy-duty truck kingpins, GGB Bearing Technology recently launched its new “more” durable bearings at the CONEXPO trade show in Las Vegas. The “DX 10 with DuraStrong technology,” is a steel-backed bearing material designed for off-road use, according to the company’s marketing manager.

“The new bearings function particularly well in greased or oiled conditions with high loads, high temperatures and contamination, which makes them ideal for replacing rolling-element, bimetal or bronze bearings to improve wear performance,” said Suzanne Krug.

In addition to kingpins, adds Krug, potential applications for this new product, include piston pumps, agricultural and construction equipment, lifts and cranes, automotive oil pumps and as small reciprocating bearings.

Produced using a proprietary polymer processing technology, the lead-free bearings feature tough, abrasion-resistant “DuraStrong” sliding surfaces, a material designed to withstand harsh activity, according to GGB. The new bearings are promoted to offer higher load capacity, greater heat resistance and significantly better wear rates than conventional kingpin bearings, “particularly in abrasive conditions.” Additionally, GGB indicates that its new bearings offers chemical and erosion resistance, as well as fatigue strength.

Another product launched by GGB Bearings, at the same Las Vegas show, is its new sealed bearing cartridges, developed to offer a cost-effective, maintenance-free alternative to conventional greased bronze, hardened steel and rolling-element bearings for off-road equipment.

Typical applications for the sealed bearing cartridges include: dump body pivots, critical clearance joints, linkage pins, lift cylinders, articulating joints, steering cylinders, suspension or track trunnions and king pins, according to GBB. The self-lubricating, sealed bearing cartridges are purported to eliminate the need for continuous maintenance, costly automated greasing systems, and environmentally harmful lubricants.

The sealed bearing cartridges are designed to handle loads of-up-to 90,000 pounds of force per square inch or 620 Mpa (pressure) and provide “superior wear,” according to GBB, which averaged just 13% of that exhibited by hardened steel bearings in independent tests. Integral lip seals exclude contaminants from the bearings, and a zinc-plated steel outer shell protects the product from compressive loads, said the marketing manager.

Compared with a greased steel bearing, GGB indicates that its sealed bearing cartridge can provide a savings of $525 per bearing over a five-year period, a reduction in cost that reflects the elimination of grease labour, bearing replacement, associated labour and downtime for bearing replacement.

“For a piece of equipment containing 20 such bearings, the savings over a five-year period would total $10,000,” said Krug. “In addition, OEMs can realize per-bearing savings of $20.95 in reduced machining costs, purchased parts, and labour.”