An insert bearing goes into its housing sideways: turn it 90 degrees, slide it in through the open sections (loading slots) in the housing bore, then swing it upright. No hammer needed. Our inserts, like the UC205 25 mm and UC205-16 1", then lock to the shaft with grub screws.
If you only needed to know how it goes in, you can stop here.
Insert bearing fitting at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How does it go in? | Sideways, turned 90 degrees, through the loading slots, then swung upright |
| What tools? | A screwdriver or hammer handle in the bore as a lever; no hammer blows |
| Grub screws while it goes into the housing | Screwed right in, so they can't catch on the housing |
| Grub screws before the shaft goes through | Backed out, clear of the bore |
| Locking it to the shaft | Tighten the grub screws evenly (bearing makers' standard set screw inserts have two) |
| Our inserts | Grub screw locking, C3 clearance |
| A 1" insert | UC205-16: 1" (25.4 mm) bore, 52 mm outside, same 205 housing as a 25 mm UC205 |
Source: bearing makers' fitting instructions and unit tables (see Sources), our video, our team and our product listings, read 6 October 2026.
The grub screws move three times, and it doesn't need a hammer
Customers ask us a lot how the bearing gets into the housing, so our team made a short video of it. The trick is the angle, and the video's first rule is to approach sideways. Turned 90 degrees, it slides in through the slots and swings upright.
The grub screws are the other thing to get right. They sit in the wide inner ring and change position three times: right in while you tilt the insert into the housing (bearing makers warn that a screw left out can catch in the housing), backed out before the shaft goes through so the tips don't score it, then tight and even once the housing is bolted down.
Watch how: our video, How to get an insert bearing into a housing (and you don't need a hammer), 2 minutes 25 seconds.
How to fit an insert bearing into a housing, step by step
- Screw the grub screws in as far as they go.
- Hold the insert sideways, at 90 degrees to the housing, and slide it in through the loading slots.
- Swing it upright. Our video's tip: turn it in the direction that lines up the grease grooves. If it's stiff, put a screwdriver through the bore and lever it the rest of the way.
- Back the grub screws out until they're clear of the bore.
- Slide the shaft through square to the bearing, without twisting it, and don't knock the seal.
- Bolt the housing down on a rigid, flat surface, with the mounting face ideally within 2 degrees of true to the shaft. Tighten the bolts evenly and don't overdo it. That's our team's advice: over-tightening can crack a housing. Bearing makers also recommend a washer under each bolt.
- Tighten the grub screws evenly.
- Turn the shaft by hand. It should turn smoothly, with no drag or heavy spots, before you run the machine. Then run it at low speed with no load first, and bring it up to speed while you listen and feel for noise, vibration or heat. Bearing makers say to retighten the grub screws periodically. If you're not confident fitting it, have it fitted by a qualified fitter to the machine maker's specifications.
Pillow blocks and flanges arrive with the insert fitted
Our pillow block and flange units arrive with the insert already in the housing, but you may need to align it for your job. It aligns in the housing, not inside the bearing: the insert's outer surface and the housing bore are both spherical, so the insert swivels to line up with the shaft.
So with a complete unit you start at step 4. You only need steps 1 to 3 when you're putting a new insert into an old housing.
Grub screw or eccentric collar?
Our inserts use grub screws (also called set screws). There's another type: an eccentric locking collar, where a collar with an eccentric groove is turned against a matching ridge on the inner ring to lock it to the shaft. Bearing makers say it gives a tighter fit to the shaft but suits rotation in one direction only. We don't stock eccentric collar inserts, but we can source them on request.
Our inserts are C3 clearance, which means more internal clearance than normal. The bearing seal codes guide explains the clearance code.
How to get an insert bearing out of a housing
- Undo the grub screws fully, so they don't damage the shaft as the bearing comes off.
- Unbolt the housing and slide the unit off the shaft: the fitting steps in reverse.
- Screw the grub screws back in as far as they go.
- Put a hammer handle or screwdriver in the bore and twist. Tilt the insert a full 90 degrees and pull it out towards the slot.
The housing is reusable, so fit the new insert as above. If an insert is a very close fit on its shaft, bearing makers suggest filing a flat about 0.2 to 0.5 mm deep on the shaft, where each grub screw bears, before you first tighten the screws. That makes the insert easier to remove later.
Which BES product fits
Each listing below except the stainless one is a pair (2x in the title).
- Pick the UC205 25 mm insert (25 x 52 mm) for a 25 mm shaft when the housing is sound and only the bearing is worn.
- Pick the UC205-16 1" insert (1" x 52 mm) for a 1" shaft. It fits the same 205 housing.
- Pick the UC201 to UC207 insert listing to choose any size from UC201 (12 mm) to UC207 (35 mm), metric and imperial bores, on one page.
- Pick the stainless steel SUC202 to SUC207 inserts if the job calls for a stainless insert.
- Pick the UCP205 25 mm pillow block if you need the housing too. It comes with the insert fitted.
Larger inserts (UC208 up) and our other housings are in insert and transmission bearings.
Questions people also ask
What is an insert bearing?
A ball bearing with a spherical outer ring and a wide inner ring that locks to the shaft, made to sit in a pillow block or flange housing. In a part number like UCP205, the UC is the insert and the letters after it name the housing.
What size is a 1 inch insert bearing?
A UC205-16: 1" (25.4 mm) bore and 52 mm outside diameter. It goes in the same 205 housing as the 25 mm UC205, so a standard UCP205 pillow block takes either.
Can I replace just the insert and keep the housing?
Yes. The housing is reusable, and a UC205 insert fits a standard 205 pillow block or flange. The removal steps are above.
Related reading
- UCP vs UCF vs UCFL: which bearing housing do I need?
- UCP204, UCP205 and UCP206 pillow block dimensions
- Bearing seal codes: 2RS vs ZZ
Sources
- Bearings Express, How to get an insert bearing into a housing and you DON'T need a hammer! (YouTube, published 6 November 2022, Australian time), watched 6 October 2026.
- NTN, Bearing Units, Cat. No. 2400/E, technical data: construction and locking methods (p. 11), self-aligning (p. 13), mounting the housing (p. 51), mounting a set screw unit (p. 54), running tests (p. 59), dismounting and replacing the bearing (p. 60), ntnglobal.com/en/products/catalog/pdf/2400E_03.pdf, read 6 October 2026.
- NTN, Bearing Units, Cat. No. 2400/E, dimension tables UCP2 (pp. 62 to 64), ntnglobal.com/en/products/catalog/pdf/2400E_04.pdf, read 6 October 2026.
- SKF, Deep groove ball bearings: Designation system (skf.com/us/products/rolling-bearings/ball-bearings/deep-groove-ball-bearings/designation-system), read 6 October 2026.
Checked against our own video, the NTN Bearing Units catalogue, the Bearings Express team and our product listings on 6 October 2026.
0 comments