Bearings, Gears & Power Transmission worked example

Bearing Preload Setup Time at 35% shim and verification allowance: a worked example

This scenario runs the bearing preload setup time calculation on the strong side: 35% shim and verification allowance, with every other input held at its documented default. a gearbox, spindle, or rotating equipment team needs to plan labor for bearing preload or endplay adjustment

The inputs for this scenario

  • Bearing sets to preload: 54 bearing sets (unchanged)
  • Verified preload setup rate: 6 sets / hr (unchanged)
  • Shim and verification allowance: 35 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 30)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Base preload setup time = bearing sets to preload รท verified preload setup rate) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 12.15 hr for required bearing preload setup time, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 9 hr for base preload setup time.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 35 % for shim and verification allowance.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 6 sets / hr for verified preload setup rate.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where shim and verification allowance sits at 30% and the headline result is 11.7 hr, this scenario comes in 3.85% above the baseline at 12.15 hr.
  • Use it when staffing a preload station, scheduling the operation, or quoting assemblies with a controlled preload step. Treat this as a target state: the delta against the baseline quantifies what the improvement is worth before you commit to chasing it.

Results at a glance

  • Required bearing preload setup time: 12.15 hr (headline result)
  • Base preload setup time: 9 hr
  • Shim and verification allowance: 35 %
  • Verified preload setup rate: 6 sets / hr

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Bearing Preload Setup Time calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.