Description

Screw Conveyor Hanger Bearings at the Shaft-Section Joint

The most sensitive support point in a sectional screw conveyor is often the place where one screw shaft ends and the next begins.

The screw conveyor hanger bearing occupies this joint. Its central housing supports the connected shaft sections while remaining inside the clear space between two screw flights. Shaft diameter, spline profile, tooth count, bridge height and installation position must therefore work as one arrangement.

Available hanger-bearing families include:

• XLR and TLR for ES screw conveyors
• XLY and TLY for TU screw conveyors
• XLU for larger TU screw conveyors
• SI for SC screw conveyors
• 40 mm, 45 mm and 60 mm shaft configurations
• DIN 5482 spline connections
• 19-, 20- and 28-tooth options

Tube diameter alone cannot identify the correct model. Two hanger bearings for the same nominal conveyor size may use different shafts, splines, bearing lengths or bridge dimensions.

The Shaft Joint Determines the Hanger Bearing

Hanger-bearing selection begins with the internal shaft arrangement rather than the visible conveyor tube.

The correct model must match:

The main product families are:

Material should not be used as the only selection criterion. An aluminum XLR and a cast-iron XLY may be intended for conveyors of similar diameter while using different shaft and body dimensions.

XLR and TLR Hanger Bearing Models

XLR and TLR assemblies are used with ES screw conveyors.

Both series use a 40 mm shaft, 40 × 36 DIN 5482 spline, M14 mounting thread and 245 mm overall length. Their key difference is the spline tooth count:

• XLR: 20 teeth
• TLR: 19 teeth

Dimensions: mm

XLR and TLR models may have nearly identical external dimensions, but the spline tooth count prevents direct interchangeability.

A replacement should be checked against the shaft ends and coupling already installed, not selected from the aluminum housing alone.

XLY, TLY and XLU Hanger Bearing Models

XLY and TLY hanger bearings are used with TU screw conveyors.

The 219, 273 and 323 mm models use a 45 mm shaft and 225 mm overall length. XLY uses a 20-tooth spline, while TLY uses a 19-tooth spline.

Dimensions: mm

The XLU406H035 is not simply a larger XLY housing. It uses a 60 mm shaft, 60 × 55 spline, 28 teeth, M20 mounting thread and 295 mm overall length.

These connection differences must be retained when replacing the hanger bearing or rebuilding the internal shaft assembly.

SI Hanger Bearings for SC Screw Conveyors

SI cast-iron hanger bearings cover SC screw conveyors from 168 mm to 407 mm.

Smaller models use a 40 mm shaft with a 40 × 36 spline. Larger configurations use a 60 mm shaft with a 60 × 55 spline.

Dimensions: mm

*For SC323 and SC325 conveyors, confirm the installed shaft diameter and spline before ordering. Both 40 mm and 60 mm internal arrangements are present within this diameter group, so the conveyor number alone is not sufficient.

The Bearing Position Is Fixed by the Flight Gap

The hanger bearing cannot be installed at any convenient point along the conveyor.

Its position is determined by the joint between two shaft sections:

Screw Flight Section → Clear Flight Gap → Hanger Bearing and Shaft Joint → Clear Flight Gap → Screw Flight Section

The bearing housing must remain inside this planned open area. The screw flights should not pass through or overlap the bearing position.

Correct installation requires:

• The bearing centre to remain on the conveyor centreline
• Both shaft sections to meet at the intended joint
• The spline and coupling to engage without side pressure
• The bearing housing to remain clear of both screw flights
• The bridge to match the tube and mounting points
• The inspection hatch to sit directly beneath the support position
• The lubrication point to remain accessible after assembly

The hanger bearing position should be established from the internal shaft drawing. It should not be moved simply to align with a previously cut inspection opening.

When the inspection hatch and bearing do not align, the access arrangement should be corrected around the shaft joint—not by shifting the bearing away from its designed position.

Why 19 and 20 Teeth Cannot Be Treated as the Same Connection

The spline size may be written as 40 × 36 on both assemblies, but the tooth count still changes the connection.

This difference appears between:

• XLR and TLR
• XLY and TLY

A 19-tooth shaft will not correctly engage a 20-tooth bearing connection. Similar external dimensions do not make the internal splines compatible.

Before ordering, confirm:

• DIN 5482 spline size
• Number of teeth
• Shaft diameter
• Engagement length
• Adjacent coupling
• Condition of both shaft ends

Spline wear can also make tooth identification difficult. Measurements and clear end-view photographs are more reliable than judging the connection from a side view.

Replacing the Bearing Without Losing the Shaft Centreline

Replacing the correct model does not automatically correct an existing alignment problem.

Before fitting the new assembly, inspect:

• Both screw-shaft sections
• Shaft couplings
• Splined ends
• Flight gap
• Conveyor tube alignment
• External support structure
• Hanger-bearing bridge
• Inspection-hatch position

The new hanger bearing should accept the shaft sections without being pulled sideways by the mounting bolts.

Forcing the bridge into position can move the shaft away from the tube centreline. This may lead to:

• Uneven bearing load
• Rapid internal wear
• Increased vibration
• Loose spline connections
• Screw flight contact with the tube
• Repeated damage to the replacement bearing

The shaft should rotate freely after assembly and before material is introduced into the conveyor.

Details Needed to Confirm the Model

Please provide the following information:

• Hanger-bearing model, when visible
• Conveyor family: ES, TU or SC
• Conveyor diameter
• Shaft diameter
• DIN 5482 spline size
• Number of spline teeth
• A, B and C dimensions
• Overall length
• Mounting-thread size
• Required quantity

Photographs should clearly show:

• Complete bridge
• Central bearing housing
• Both shaft ends
• Spline teeth
• Lubrication point
• Adjacent coupling
• Gap between the screw flights

For a complete new screw conveyor, hanger-bearing positions and quantities should be confirmed from the sectional shaft drawing.

For an existing conveyor, check the bearing together with the surrounding shaft components rather than ordering from the housing appearance alone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why must the hanger bearing sit between two screw flight sections?

The central bearing housing and shaft joint require an open space between the adjacent flight ends.

Extending the screw flights through this area can reduce clearance around the housing or create contact with the rotating flight. The shaft-joint position, bearing centre and flight gap must therefore be designed together.

Can the hanger bearing be moved to line up with an existing inspection hatch?

Not without reviewing the shaft layout.

The bearing must remain at the joint between two shaft sections. Moving it away from that point can misalign the coupling, place side load on the bearing or leave insufficient clearance between the housing and screw flights.

The inspection hatch should align with the hanger bearing, rather than determining where the bearing is installed.

Why can a new hanger bearing wear quickly even when the model is correct?

The replacement may be carrying side load caused by an existing alignment problem.

Possible causes include shaft sections that are not concentric, incorrect bridge height, worn splines, a loose coupling, distorted conveyor supports or screw flights contacting the tube. These surrounding conditions should be checked before the new bearing is installed.

How can we distinguish bearing wear from spline or shaft-coupling wear?

Bearing wear usually produces movement between the shaft and the central bearing position.

Spline wear creates rotational clearance at the toothed connection, while coupling wear may allow movement between the two shaft sections even when the bearing housing remains stable.

The bearing, both shaft ends and the coupling should be inspected together before deciding which part requires replacement.

Why does the screw flight begin rubbing the tube after the hanger bearing is replaced?

Flight contact normally means the shaft centreline changed during installation.

Common causes include the wrong A, B or C dimensions, incorrect shaft diameter, incomplete spline engagement, side pressure on the bearing or mounting bolts being used to pull misaligned parts together.

The shaft should rotate freely before the conveyor is returned to service.

Should every hanger-bearing position have its own inspection hatch?

Each internal support that may require inspection, lubrication or replacement should remain accessible.

For conveyors with multiple hanger bearings, an inspection hatch is normally considered beneath each service position. The final arrangement should be confirmed from the shaft-section and conveyor-tube drawing before fabrication.