Self-aligning ball bearings have two rows of balls and a common sphered raceway in the outer ring. The bearings are insensitive to angular misalignment of the shaft relative to the housing. They generate less friction than any other type of rolling bearing, which enables them to run cooler even at high speeds. Advantanges of self-aligning ball bearings are listed below:

• Lowest friction of all rolling bearings
• Easy mounting and dismounting
• Acceptable axial load capacity in both directions
• Have low torque capacity at startup and running speeds
• Can operate with low noise
• Require little maintenance