Four–point contact ball bearings

Four–point contact ball bearings are single row angular contact ball bearings featuring raceways designed to accommodate thrust loads acting in both directions. However radial loads can be partially supported up to a proportional value of axial load. This kind of bearing requires less space in axial direction than double row bearings. Normally single row four–point contact ball bearings supporting thrust load in both direction are mounted together with another pure radial bearigs. In this case the four–point contact ball bearings are mounted with radial clearance in the housing and they act as pure thrust bearings.