With diesel costs and emissions pressures tightening across agriculture, bearings may not be the first place farmers look for savings – but they should be, says Chris Johnson, managing director at specialist supplier SMB Bearings.
“Every tractor, combine, baler or conveyor depends on bearings to keep parts moving, but those same bearings also create resistance,” Johnson says. “Even small amounts of internal friction multiply across hundreds of components, quietly draining energy and turning fuel into heat.”
He explains that while bearings are often only noticed when they fail, they can waste energy long before that point. “Poor lubrication, worn seals, misalignment and contamination all increase rolling resistance. That extra drag forces engines to work harder and burn more fuel.”
According to Johnson, friction is the hidden performance thief. “Farmers tend to focus on horsepower, but friction is what silently erodes it,” he says. “Reducing friction can have a surprisingly powerful impact on overall energy consumption.”
Energy efficiency, he adds, has moved from an environmental discussion to a commercial one. “Diesel price volatility and emissions rules make efficiency non-negotiable. Improving bearing performance is one of the fastest, lowest-cost ways to cut energy losses because it can be done during normal maintenance or replacement cycles.”
Johnson says bearings are among the first places energy is lost as heat. “Improving bearing design and lubrication can reduce friction losses by around 30 per cent in some systems. Lower friction also means less wear, cooler running and fewer unplanned stops.”
He points to practical steps: “Low-friction seals, tighter-tolerance bearings, hybrid ceramic bearings and correct lubrication all make measurable differences. Misalignment checks are critical too. Condition monitoring sensors can pick up small increases in vibration or temperature long before failures occur.”
The gains, he says, add up quickly. “Even a two or three per cent improvement in drivetrain efficiency can save hundreds of litres of diesel a year across a mid-sized fleet.”
Johnson believes efficiency and reliability are inseparable. “Bearings that run cooler keep their lubrication film longer and protect surrounding components. Efficiency extends service life, reduces downtime and directly supports sustainability goals.”
For Johnson, the message is simple: “Farmers are used to thinking about big figures like horsepower or hectares per hour, but much of that energy never reaches the soil. Bearings may be small, but they sit at the heart of the energy equation. Get them right, and the savings follow.”