Advantage of Rubber Properties In Water-Lubricated Bearing Design.1.The proprietary rubber formulation of the ring is broken up by water grooves into a of lands or faces. These surface lands run parallel to the shaft and serve in supporting it. A tough resilient rubber compound is selected which is relatively immune to the action of grit and sand and also helps reduce noise and vibration.2.When a grit is trapped between the shaft and the rubber, it is depressed into the landing’s elastic surface and rolled into an adjacent water groove where it is immediately flushed out of the bearing.3.With proper loading, rotational speed and clearances, a water wedge is formed in the rubber landing causing the shaft to ride on a thin film that totally separates the shaft and bearing surface. This is known as hydrodynamic lubrication. At this juncture both friction and wear decrease significantly in a rubber bearing.4.Our proprietary rubber formulations have nothing more to prove. Rubber bearings are on more vessels around the world than any other material. Our Johnson cutless Bearings have set unbelievable performance records that other bearing materials are still trying to meet.
