Vintage Windmill and Wind Generator Forum

What bearings were best.there were Babbitt,bronze,graphite,wood,Hyatt and timken roller bearings.I've only had experience with four of them.Challenge was Babbitt and graphite.graphite definitely was the winner with no damage to the mill.flint and walling i found the wood bearings out performed the timken.let's hear your story .

I have limited bearing experience when it come to windmills, but I have much experience with different types of bearings in various other types of mechanisms. Below I will list my opinions based of what I have seen. Disclaimer I’m not an engineer nor have I conducted any test in a controlled environment.

Babbitt- easy on shafts and tolerates questionable maintenance practices at low speeds better than the other plain bearing material. Example look at all the old 602 & 702 that have survived in less than idea condition with most likely irregular maintenance. Also lots of old lathes & such lived the same kind of life.

Brass, Bronze, or Copper alloys are much harder than Babbitt and eventually seem to wear shafts. Plain bearings made of these materials are very durable. Oilite bushings are cool seen lots used as pilot bearings in cars for trans and they hold up pretty good considering the speed, heat, and revolutions they accrue over there service life.

Tapered Rollers - low friction, high or low speed capability, and can handle radial loads & axle loads simultaneously better than anything else. Usually won’t damage shafts. I believe tapered rollers are probably more durable than all of them if lubed properly. I think that’s maybe why you have observed wood outlasting timkens is poor maintenance the wood held up better with poor lube. Just my op.