These ball bearings have a spherical surface with a point at which the center of the outer ring track surface matches the center of the bearing, and the inner ring has a two-row track groove.

The balls, cage, and inner ring are able to tilt freely to a degree with respect to the outer ring, and rotate. As such, misalignment caused by processing errors in the axis or housing, or by mounting of the bearing, is automatically corrected.

However, as the capacity to bear axial loads is not so great, the bearings are not suited to locations with large axial loads.

The bearings are often used in applications such as drive shafts, as mounting and un-mounting are easy if an adapter is used for bearings with tapered bore calibers.

Self-aligning ball bearings have two rows of

balls, a common sphered raceway in the

outer ring and two deep uninterrupted raceway

grooves in the inner ring They are available

open or sealed The bearings are insensitive

to angular misalignment of the shaft

relative to the housing which can be

caused, for example, by shaft deflection.