🔍 Key Concepts

• Bridge gage use for measuring bearing wear or clearance • Where the greatest wear usually occurs on a journal bearing in normal service • How journal position inside the bearing affects the reading on a bridge gage

💭 Think About

• Think about where the shaft actually rides in the bearing when the machinery is running and where metal loss (wear) will be greatest. • Ask yourself: to measure wear, do you want the journal in the same position it runs in, or do you need to move it so the measuring pin can reach the worn area? • Consider how each choice would affect the gage reading: which option best ensures the gage is reading the maximum wear zone, not an unworn area?

✅ Before You Answer

• Identify where (top, sides, or bottom) the primary wearing zone is on a loaded journal bearing in service. • Determine whether the measuring pin of the bridge gage needs to contact the worn surface directly to show true wear. • Check which option ensures the bearing shell’s wear zone is aligned with the measuring pin, rather than hidden or out of contact.