The answer to this question would vary on a case-by-case basis and would depend on bearing type, size and operating conditions. For general applications, the operating clearance range should be within the recommended zone shown in the diagram below. As seen in the diagram, the bearing life improves with slight preload but excessive preload can have a sharp reduction in life due toincreased load on the rollers which in turn increases friction, damages the lubricant and can cause high operating temperatures.
Because of the risk and complexity normally required to calculate an appropriate preload, SKF strongly recommends using our most modern engineering software tools, such as SKF SimPro Quick and SKF SimPro Expert or contacting the SKF application engineering service.
