Bearing Failure Symptom Triage - Diagnostic Decision Helper
Identify likely bearing failure causes from observed symptoms, noise patterns, and visual inspection findings
Free bearing failure diagnostic tool that helps maintenance teams identify the most likely cause of bearing problems from observed symptoms. Select the symptoms you are seeing - noise type (rumble, squeal, clicking, grinding), vibration characteristics (overall high, periodic, random), temperature behavior (running hot, sudden increase, fluctuating), and visual inspection findings (spalling, discoloration, cage damage, contamination, corrosion). The diagnostic engine cross-references your symptoms against common bearing failure modes: fatigue spalling, inadequate lubrication, contamination, misalignment, overload, electrical damage (fluting), corrosion, and improper mounting. Each diagnosed cause includes a confidence level, explanation of the failure mechanism, and recommended corrective actions to prevent recurrence. This is not a vibration analyzer - it is a structured diagnostic aid for maintenance teams who need to quickly narrow down the cause of a bearing failure and take the right corrective action rather than just replacing the bearing and hoping the problem does not come back.
Check if the bearing was running over its speed limit
Bearing Speed Limit Checker →Verify that grease type and regreasing interval were adequate
Bearing Grease Speed Factor Guide →Check shaft fit to rule out mounting problems
Press Fit / Clearance Checker →How It Works
-
Describe the Noise
Select the type of noise observed: rumbling or growling (suggests spalling or contamination), high-pitched squeal (suggests lubrication starvation), rhythmic clicking (suggests rolling element or cage damage), grinding (suggests severe wear or contamination), or no abnormal noise.
-
Describe Vibration
Select vibration characteristics: overall vibration increase (general degradation), periodic vibration at shaft speed or harmonics (misalignment or unbalance), random vibration spikes (contamination or cage damage), or vibration at bearing frequencies (BPFO, BPFI, BSF).
-
Describe Temperature
Select temperature behavior: running hotter than normal (lubrication or preload), sudden temperature spike (lubrication failure or seizure), temperature fluctuations (intermittent contact or lubricant issues), or normal temperature.
-
Describe Visual Findings
Select what you see on the bearing and shaft: spalling or flaking, discoloration, cage damage, contamination (particles, water), corrosion or rust, fretting marks on the shaft, electrical fluting marks, or no visible damage.
-
Review Diagnosis
Get a ranked list of likely failure causes with confidence levels, failure mechanism explanations, and specific corrective actions. The most likely causes appear first based on symptom matching.
Built For
- Maintenance mechanics diagnosing bearing failures during equipment repair
- Reliability engineers conducting root cause failure analysis on recurring bearing problems
- Maintenance supervisors training staff on bearing failure recognition and diagnosis
- Predictive maintenance teams correlating vibration data with bearing condition
- Plant engineers investigating chronic bearing failures on specific equipment
Frequently Asked Questions
Learn More
Bearing Life Calculations: What L10 Actually Means
Why calculated bearing life and actual bearing life are often very different numbers, what L10 predicts, what it misses, and how to use it for maintenance planning.
Bearing Grease: Choosing the Right One and Knowing When to Apply It
Base oil viscosity, NLGI grade, thickener type, regreasing intervals, and why over-greasing causes as many failures as under-greasing.
Bearing Failure Modes: Reading the Evidence
How to tell what killed a bearing by looking at the damage pattern. Fatigue spalling, lubrication failure, contamination, electrical fluting, and corrective actions.
Bearing Loads: How to Calculate What Your Bearing Actually Sees
Radial loads, axial loads, X and Y factors, belt tension, gear mesh forces, and the loads people commonly forget in bearing life calculations.
Related Tools
Shop Heater BTU Sizing Calculator
Calculate the exact BTU output your shop or garage heater needs. Factors in wall R-values, ceiling insulation, slab edge loss, overhead door infiltration, and air changes per hour to size propane, natural gas, and electric heaters correctly.
Overhead Door Infiltration Loss Calculator
Calculate heat loss through overhead doors in shops, garages, and warehouses. Compares open-door vs closed-door losses, seal condition impact, and annual cost of infiltration with payback on door seals and high-speed doors.
Long-Run Voltage Drop Calculator
Calculate voltage drop for long wire runs to detached shops, barns, garages, and outbuildings. Compares copper vs aluminum, shows motor starting voltage impact, and recommends the right wire size for your distance and load.